The cold and nasty weather of the “thunder-snow” on Wednesday, was just one of the challenges facing teams from A-SPAN (Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network) as they conducted the annual Point-in-Time count of homeless persons in Arlington.

“At this time of the year, weather is a factor and in fact the last couple of years, it’s been horrible weather but we work our way through it,” said Solomon Abawi, a social worker with A-SPAN, who was on the team covering North Arlington.

Local communities conduct the count during the last 10 days in January to gather data and understand trends in homelessness. The information helps the federal government to assess progress in a community’s efforts to end homelessness and to justify requests for federal funding.

Abawi’s team was at the Central United Methodist Church in Ballston, where a lunch was being served. As people entered, Abawi completed a short survey, which asked participants whether they were homeless, and also asked for age, race, gender, and whether they are employed or have a source of income.

According to Abawi, the great majority of participants are willing to provide the information requested. Offering a warm and safe place to enjoy a hot meal is one of the strategies used by A-SPAN as they organized their efforts for the “homeless census.”

 In order to get an accurate count, A-SPAN teams visit the areas frequented by the homeless, including malls, parks, metro stations and public libraries. In addition to the Central United Methodist Church, the other indoor meeting places visited by teams during the day were SEEC (Shirlington Employment Education Center), A-SPAN’s Opportunity Place and the Arlington County Emergency Winter Shelter (EWS). The work schedule starts at 7 a.m. and can go until midnight.

“The thing about the point-in-time census is that it gives us a really good snapshot of what’s going on with the homeless, “ said Kathy Sibert, A-SPAN’s Executive Director. Sibert noted that the count in 2010 recorded 531 homeless people in Arlington County, a 30% increase since 2008.

Sibert said the survey provides meaningful data that allows the organization to assess progress in Arlington’s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. She added that 347 (65 percent) were single adults, and 184 were in families (35 percent) and that most of the singles are unsheltered.

Andy Carlson, a volunteer helping to serve lunch at the church, said he became involved with A-SPAN, after his two daughters who attend Wakefield High School participated in a walk-a-thon to benefit the organization. “I am very grateful to be able to help-- I had done volunteer work with Miriam’s Kitchen in D.C. but this is closer to home,” Carlson said.

Asked what is the biggest misconception about homeless persons living in Arlington, Abawi said, “That they’re dangerous—I can personally say that that’s not true at all…they are actually just like the rest of us.”

To learn more about A-SPAN visit: http://www.a-span.org