LOGAN — On KVNU’s monthly Speak to the Mayor program last week, Logan Mayor Holly Daines was joined by Logan City Council member Amy Anderson. Daines highlighted Anderson’s role in assisting a certain segment of the population.
“I have to thank Amy Anderson because she has stepped up, she is the chair of the local homeless coordinating council. As such, she has a seat on a state board that is trying to talk about this issue of people who are unhoused, and this is the time of year that we really notice that more. We hopefully care about those people a little more. And she is just really up to speed on some of the things that are going on,” the mayor explained.
Anderson thanked the community for its response when it comes to caring about the problem of homelessness, particularly organizations like BRAG (Bear River Associations of Governments) and others.
Late in January it will be time again for the annual Point in Time (or PIT) Count, to meet these individuals and tally how many are homeless locally.
“That Point in Time count is a critical piece of information that helps us get more funding from the state, that helps get more funding from federal dollars. You think what’s really significant is when we look at the Point in Time count over even just the last three years.
“Last year, for Cache County, on that night there were 148 individuals in Cache County that were considered homeless. I just want that to sink in with people, 148 individuals,” said Anderson.
Daines said that includes people that are housed in either a CAPSA shelter or the William A. Burnard Warming Center. But it’s people who don’t have a home to go to, including those who are on the streets or living in their cars, and Anderson said even in storage units.
“I think the 2nd year I went out, we realized somebody had the pull-down door on the storage unit, had a little bit of a gap, and you could hear a generator running. And you realized that there were people in there sleeping.
“So, it’s not easy to find homeless people because most people do not want to draw attention to themselves. They’re a little bit taken aback by that circumstance.”
For those who would like to help out somehow, Anderson said probably the first place to volunteer would be at the warming center (wabwarmingcenter.org), where they also assist in reach out to homeless individuals. When it comes to the P.I.T. count, you can email Anderson (amy.anderson.logan@gmail.com) for more information.