one night count

 

 

 

Every year, the Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless organizes the One Night Count (ONC), tallying how many people are homeless on one night in January.  These numbers are used to streamline services in the area, and to advocate for appropriate resources.

 

The 2008 ONC counted unsheltered people in King County around 3:00 a.m. on January 25th, a dark night with the below-freezing temperature, when hypothermia and survival are very real concerns. Many homeless women will hide or bundle their faces for safety and health reasons when sleeping unsheltered.

 

8,439 is the staggering total for the complete number of people homeless during the 2008 One Night Count, when also including people in shelters and transitional housing, a 15% rise over last year.

 

We will never be able to count those staying a rare night in a motel room for warmth, on a friend or family member’s couch, or in a well-hidden location.  “But,” says Alison Eisinger, director of the Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless, “It’s hard to look at the numbers and not be saddened and outraged.  I’m saddened because the numbers represent real men, women and children who are struggling to survive.”
  • Click here to read a Seattle P.I. article on the 2008 One Night Count
  • Click here to watch a short 2006 video of what the annual One Night Count entails
  • Click here to read the results of the most recent complete One Night Count report
  • Click here to visit the website of the Seattle/King County Coalition for the Homeless