Spanaway is one of the communities in Pierce County where the number of homeless people will be documented this month in an attempt to improve their lives and reduce homelessness. A county agency and activists will survey individuals and families at meal sites, day shelters, health clinics and on the streets Jan. 29. The Point in Time survey, as it's called, is in its 20th year. Officials said it provides a picture of the homeless issues in Pierce County and helps focus attention on public and private funding for homeless housing and services. Last year's survey found 1,280 homeless persons countywide, including 757 individuals and 154 families with 314 children. Such information "helps inform our community of the need for homeless services. We are able to better coordinate our community's efforts to make homelessness rare, brief, and one time,GÇ¥ said Tammy Boros, chairwoman of the Tacoma-Lakewood-Pierce County Continuum of Care to End Homelessness. The coalition and the Pierce County Department of Community Connections are organizing the survey with the help of about 200 volunteers who will collect the census-type information in Spanaway, Tacoma, Lakewood and Gig Harbor. The public can donate items for homeless persons. Donations of clothes, blankets, sleeping bags, jackets, socks, gloves, hats, scarves, duffle bags, non-perishable food, bottled water, can openers, towels, flashlights and batteries, and toiletries can be made at the Metropolitan Development Council Learning Center at 721 S. Fawcett St. in Tacoma.
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