1:11pm | A community initiative known as Long Beach Connections is seeking 100 volunteers to assist with its survey of homeless individuals living in Long Beach, which is set for the last week of the month.
The effort, dubbed the 2011 Vulnerability Survey, is a follow-up to the group’s count of homeless residents in 2009. It is part of the 100,000 Homes campaign, a nationwide initiative that kicked off this month and aims to find 100,000 homes for homeless Americans by July 2013.
According to information provided by Long Beach Connections spokeswoman Elisabeth Walker, the survey will focus on the downtown Long Beach area. In 2009, its boundaries were from the beach to Anaheim Street and from Alamitos Avenue to the Los Angeles River. It aims to reconnect with homeless individuals, gauge their vulnerability to death or injury if left on the streets and place in housing those most at risk.
The 2009 survey identified 345 people living on the streets of downtown Long Beach. SInce that time, Long Beach Connections has placed 25 percent of those individuals in housing, Walker said.
Long Beach Connections volunteers met Ron Skaggs, then 60, during the 2009 Vulnerability Survey. He had been homeless for the previous 38 years of his life. Today, he lives in housing secured for him by the group.
“If it hadn’t been for the 100 volunteers helping to conduct the survey that year, Ron might still be living on the streets today. Instead, he has been in his own apartment for over a year and a half,” Walker said.
This year’s survey is set to take place Tuesday, July 26, through Thursday, July 28. Survey outreach volunteers must be able to commit to participating on these dates from 4:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. each day. Administrative volunteers must be able to commit to participating from from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
Those who are interested in volunteering should call 323-644-2200 for more information.
Long Beach Connections is a collaboration led by the city’s Department of Health and Human Services, Mental Health America of Los Angeles and PATH (People Assisting the Homeless). Other participants include various homeless services and housing agencies, police and fire departments, Cal State Long Beach, local hospitals, faith groups, business groups and community members.