‘Jobs are scarce’: Homeless in Rock Hill line up for food, annual HUD count
More than 50 people had lined up by 11:30 a.m. Wednesday outside the Renew Our Community center in downtown Rock Hill for food, and to be counted.
Pilgrim’s Inn volunteers had been there since about 8:30 a.m. for the annual Point-In-Time Count, a national initiative required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Pilgrim’s Inn board president Lisa Barrett said the number of homeless people in each community is reported to HUD, where officials evaluate if each community has enough resources to help homeless people in that area. An accurate count could mean Pilgrim’s Inn and York County could receive more money to help them.
“Along with other organizations, the goal of the Point-In-Time Count is to actually count the number of homeless in our community,” Barrett said. “So this is one part of it where we offer an incentive, food, for people to come, and then we gather a count of the number of homeless that way.
“But this whole week our staff has been doing a count of homeless people in the different places where they stay around the community,” she said.
Pilgrim’s Inn executive director Juanita Lester said the numbers from last year show 127 homeless people in York County. That number, she said, is only the people who agree to fill out a full survey.
Lester said the numbers are not completely accurate, and Pilgrim’s Inn has seen more people needing help.
“We have seen the needs change,” Lester said. “Our homeless population, as far as the count statistics, reflect a decrease. But as far as our community, we see day to day more folks. Because we know jobs are scarce, we know skill sets are scarce, and definitely housing, affordable housing is not available here in York County. And that’s been a huge barrier for a lot of our individuals.”
Other York County nonprofits noted an increase in need at shelters this month, especially on cold days this week when temperatures dipped near the teens.
“It’s kind of hectic in our world,” Bethel Men’s Warming Center chairperson Richard Murr said. “The cold does drive it up some. January is historically a high month.”
Lester said Pilgrim’s Inn depends on the community’s help.
“This initiative is necessary because we rely on our community to give us donations,” she said. “So the donations are what helps supply whatever the need is for this population. So it’s important for our community to continue to support this effort.”
For more information or to help Pilgrim’s Inn, visit pilgrimsinn.org.
