It was a cold November afternoon.  No, I was not at a Packer game.  I was standing outside watching a volunteer fire department attempt to put out a fire.  The water holding tanks were starting to freeze, the fire fighters were struggling to stay warm while they cut through the slate roof with saws.  Smoke was billowing out of the house and flames could be seen through the second floor windows. When the fire was finally out, we no longer had a roof over our heads.  Nor did the six teenage boys, ages 12 – 17 years, living with us at the residential treatment center.  For the next few weeks, we all double bunked at another home administered by the residential treatment center that employed us as house parents.  Four adults, 14 teenage boys, one 2-year old and two dogs shared a five bedroom, 2 bath home.  As we worked to ensure the boys would be either moved back home or to other residential treatment programs, it dawned on my husband and I that soon we would be both homeless and unemployed.  Fortunately this unexpected event, the house fire, led us back to Sheboygan – our home town.

Not everyone is as fortunate as we were almost 40 years ago. Homelessness in Sheboygan County is real for many individuals and families.  What is homelessness?  The new definition of homelessness according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) includes four broad categories.

• People who are living in a place not meant for human habitation.

• People who are living in an emergency shelter.

• People who are living in transitional housing.

• People who are exiting an institution where they temporarily resided.

Also, an individual or family may be considered to be homeless if that person is “doubled up,” a term that refers to a situation where individuals are unable to maintain their housing situation and are forced to stay with a series of friends and/or extended family members.

We will never be able to determine the total number of individuals and families who are homeless on any given day in Sheboygan County but at least twice each year Sheboygan County participates in the Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count.  Although the PIT count is a single night snapshot of homelessness, it is important.  HUD uses the count information to describe the nature and scope of homelessness.  How many of the homeless are veterans or families? What set of circumstances led to their homelessness? The information is used to inform legislators and policy makers.  It is also used by organizations and communities to target resources and develop effective programs to address homelessness.

Volunteers, who are at least 18 years old, are needed to help with the Semi-Annual Point in Time Homeless Count on Wednesday, January 28^th from 9 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. (midnight). A training will be provided prior to conducting the count at 8 p.m.  If you are able to volunteer to help with the count or would like more information please contact Lakeshore Community Action Program (CAP) at 920.803.6991 or 920.694.0041.  You may also e-mail Ruth at Lakeshore CAP at ruthe@lakeshorecap.org. You may also sign up online through the United Way Volunteer Center program website at www.uwofsc.org/volunteer.

As author Linda Lewis said, “Although homelessness can happen to anyone, it just wasn’t what I expected.”