Guam Homeless Coalition leads community effort to count island's homeless population

An army of concerned islanders hit the road today, taking part in the annual Point-In-Time Count. This initiative, led by the Guam Homeless Coalition, seeks to estimate the segment of our community without permanent residences, and also distribute care kits, and connect them with helpful support services.

GHC chairperson Samantha Taitano told KUAM News, "Not only are we doing an unduplicated count, but we're also conducting surveys, and these really assist in understanding their situation."

At last tally, Guam had nearly 1,100 homeless island residents. Coalition members were joined by UOG, Public Health, WestCare, the Salvation Army, and 300 community volunteers to help. UOG social work program member Sage Benavente said, "We definitely need the data to understand what their needs are, and data for funding to continue to fund these programs."

There were three shifts – in the early morning to find those seeking shelter, after sunrise to survey known homeless areas, and nighttime to talk to more people. Today's mid-morning effort also visited the Gill-Breeze Subdivision up in Yigo, gauging those in substandard housing. Taitano said the structures there are, "A little bit more ranch-style, but they are lacking running water and proper sewage. Some people have been able to bring out porta-potties and there's a community tap, and so that really does meet our definition of substandard.

"And then also some of the buildings might be missing doors or won't have a proper roof or might not have proper windows, and so we're also including them in our count so that we can hopefully get the infrastructure that that is needed in these areas one day."

Residents in this part of the island were gracious, welcoming the team on their property and into their homes to talk. And surveyors were focused, professional, respectful and empathetic.

And for those who took up the responsibility, thank you. They all said it was an opportunity appreciate what you have, and above all, to practice inafa mao'lek – taking care of our neighbors.

Benavente added, "It definitely humbled me. I'm very fortunate to have a roof over my head and I just want to put myself in their shoes and just want to be of service in any way, because I can come out here at 4am and be uncomfortable, if it means that they feel less uncomfortable by getting some goodies or some canned goods and whatnot.

"Because that's the least I can do as a citizen."