WASHINGTON — Getting young people experiencing homelessness a permanent place to stay is the goal of D.C.’s youth count. It’s an annual census used to determine if the city's programs are working in helping combat homelessness.
“Whether they are experiencing homelessness in shelter, they’re couch surfing, they’re staying on the street, they’re experiencing unsheltered homelessness we want to make sure we have an accurate count of young people in order to really create programming to meet their specific needs,” said Rachel Pierre, the interim director of D.C.'s Department of Human Services.
Audrey Blaylock became homeless at 19 years old. When she couldn’t find a couch to sleep on, she found herself at area shelters or sometimes outside with no shelter at all.
"My situation at the time was couch to couch...maybe different places maybe outside I just had different places I was finding shelter," said Blaylock.
She said she felt ashamed and asking for help was not easy.
"Being homeless is really embarrassing to me it was a very embarrassing situation…it makes you feel degrading. So it's really like you don't really want to ask for help and a lot of help get or are promised is not guaranteed so it was just a difficult situation," said Blaylock.
Right now the DC Department of Human Services is taking a census of young people between 18 and 24 experiencing homelessness in the city. It started back in 2014 as a way to target specific needs of the community.
"We just really want to know exactly what is the face of youth homelessness in the city and we know that no two people story is the same so we really want to make sure that we have as much information as possible to really target the interventionists to meet the needs of the young people in our city," said Pierre.
Pierre says during last year’s census, 588 young people recorded experiencing homelessness, about one-fourth were staying on the street, and the rest were staying in shelters but there is help available.
"Right now we have a little under 600 beds of different kinds to help young people depending on their needs," said Pierre.
Collecting data like this can be a challenge because of the stigma associated with homelessness but the city has 11 drop-in centers set up and small outreach teams going out in the community. Last year the city saw a small increase in the number of homeless youth and they’re hoping the programs are working and they’ll see a decrease this year.
Now at 24, Blaylock is set to move into her own apartment in two weeks after receiving help through the city's programs. She wants to remind anyone going through a similar situation – it’s okay to use the resources available to you.
“Don’t be scared to ask for help," said Blaylock.
If you know a young person experiencing homelessness, the census runs through Sept. 30. It takes 10-15 minutes to fill out and you’ll get a $20 gift card. The census data will be available in January. You can also call 202-399-7093, the homeless services hotline, or 311.
You can go to any of the following census collection centers listed below:
- OSSE Reengagement Center at 100 42nd St NE
- Mayor's Office on LGBTQ Affairs at 2000 14th Street NW, Suite 101, Washington, DC 20009
- Adam's Place Drop-in Center at 2210 Adams Place NE Unit B Washington, DC
- Hours: Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. (closed Saturday and Sunday)
- Damien Ministries at 2200 Rhode Island Ave NE Washington, DC 20018
- Hours: Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
- Damien Ministries - Restoration Station at 4063 Minnesota Ave NE Washington, DC 20019
- Hours: Tuesday-Friday: noon to 5 p.m.
- La Clinica Del Pueblo at 3166 Mt Pleasant St NW Washington, DC 20010
- The DC Center at 2000 14th Street NW, Suite 105, Washington, DC 20010
- Georgetown Ministry Center at 1041 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007
- Hours: Monday-Wednesday, Friday: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
- LAYC Drop In Center at 1419 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009
- Hours: Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (closed Saturday and Sunday)
- SMYAL at 410 7th St SE, Washington, DC 20003
- Hours: Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Zoe's Doors at 900 Rhode Island Ave NE Washington DC 20018
- Hours: Monday-Wednesday, Friday-Sunday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. (closed Thursday)
- Sasha Bruce at 745 8th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
- Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Sasha Bruce Downtown Drop In at 945 G St NW, Washington, DC
- Hours: Tuesday: 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
- EHDC - Shirley's Place at 1338 G Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
- Hours: Monday-Wednesday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Thursday: 8 a.m. to noon (closed Friday)
- Dept. of Youth Rehabilitation Services at 450 H St NW, Washington DC 20001
- Hours: Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.