HOPE 2010 NYC Street Survey

The NYC Department of Homeless Services (DHS) is conducting the annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) on January 25, 2010, from 10:30 PM – 4:00 AM. It’s a unique volunteer opportunity that will take a few hours of your time. HOPE produces a point-in-time estimate of the unsheltered chronic street homeless population in New York City. The information gathered by volunteers during HOPE 2010 is critical to measuring the ongoing efforts to overcome street homelessness at DHS and their partner agencies. DHS needs approximately 3,000 volunteers to help survey the number of homeless individuals living on city streets, under bridges, in parks and in other public places. HOPE 2009 found the number of individuals living on New York City streets down by 47 percent since 2005, and a 30 percent decline from the 2008 survey. Registration for the event is online on the HOPE website, at www.nyc.gov/dhs. Volunteers are needed throughout the city, so there are multiple training sites. Everyone will start and end the night at the training site they choose. Please encourage friends, family and colleagues who may be interested in volunteering a few hours of their time on Monday, January 25, 2010, to help the homeless.