FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Silvana Quiroz
media@miriamskitchen.org
MIRIAM’S KITCHEN JOINS THE ANNUAL CENSUS OF HOMELESS CITIZENS
Washington, D.C. (January 23, 2024) – Miriam’s Kitchen is proud to announce its active participation in the annual point-in-time (PIT) count, a collaborative effort led by The Community Partnership and supported by homeless services organizations in Washington, D.C. This initiative involves hundreds of volunteers, including Miriam’s Kitchen staff, who will conduct a comprehensive census to gather crucial demographic data on individuals experiencing homelessness in the area. Scheduled for Wednesday night, starting at 9 p.m. ET, the Miriam’s Kitchen outreach team will lead surveyors in Foggy Bottom, The National Mall, and Adams Morgan.
The PIT count is a valuable tool for assessing the District’s progress toward ending homelessness. By collecting information about who is experiencing homelessness in which parts of the city, along with key demographic information such as race, gender, age, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, this initiative provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by our neighbors. The nationwide execution of the PIT count within a single night also enables the identification of homelessness trends in cities across the country. However, it should be noted that the PIT provides only a snapshot in time, collecting data about one night, and is often impacted by circumstances such as weather. In addition, not all people experiencing homelessness are on the streets or in shelter, so it is important to remember that the data collected could underestimate total numbers or subset populations.
Miriam’s Kitchen outreach teams, who are adept at building trust with our unsheltered neighbors and connecting them to housing and services, will help to lead volunteers throughout the foggy bottom area during today’s census. In addition to providing meals, housing, outreach, and supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness, Miriam’s Kitchen also advocates for systemic change and is currently working to influence the city’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget.
The partnership will officially kick off on March 1 at a volunteer event from 12:30-1:30 p.m. with leaders from Miriam’s Kitchen.
While awaiting the results of this year’s PIT count, Miriam’s Kitchen remains optimistic, recognizing that, as a system, we continue to make progress towards ending homelessness – and that more work is needed. Ending homelessness in our city will require meaningful narrative changes around the systemic causes and consequences of homelessness, a commitment to centering racial equity, and robust investments in housing, street outreach, shelter improvements, and other programs to prevent and address homelessness.
About Miriam’s Kitchen
Founded in 1983 as a soup kitchen, Miriam’s Kitchen has evolved over the years to provide more than meals. Today, Miriam’s Kitchen is a critical player in the fight to end chronic homelessness in D.C. On the direct services level, we serve more than 3,000 men and women experiencing homelessness—helping them to improve their health, increase their income, and obtain housing through various programs and partnerships. And at the systems level, we work with leaders across the city to make instances of homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring.
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