FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 

Nathanael Doria, Community Relations Manager • (210) 854-7217

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: 
Nathanael Doria
The Salvation Army San Antonio Area Command
Phone: (210) 352-2000 x 230 • Cell: (210) 854-7217
E-mail:  Nathanael_Doria@uss.salvationarmy.org 

“Point in Time Count” rallies volunteers to meet at The Salvation Army Hope Center
to tally Homeless community

San Antonio, Texas (January 31, 2008) – One of the most important missions of many non-profit groups like The Salvation Army and Heaven for Hope is to help the homeless—those who have no permanent place to live for a variety of reasons. It is important to know how many are homeless, and how we can get help to them.

On the evening of January 31, volunteers from throughout San Antonio will gather at The Salvation Army Hope Center to begin the annual count of sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons living in Bexar County. This “Point in Time Count” is a cooperative effort conducted by the South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless, Haven for Hope, and the Department of Community Initiatives.
The count provides a baseline that will measure progress in San Antonio’s effort to reduce homelessness. The results of the count also have a major impact on federal funding for the homeless programs that are run in Bexar County.

• 4:00PM  Volunteer training begins at at the Salvation Army Hope Center located at 515 W. Elmira Street, San Antonio, TX 78212.
• 4:45PM  Teams deploy to count assigned areas of San Antonio.
• MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES – media can interview volunteers and organizational leaders.  Media is welcome to travel with the enumeration teams.

Our community has an opportunity to break the chain of homelessness and empower positive changes within homeless individuals and families.
Event Questions?  Please contact:

• Shay Wester, 202-615-5525 – Homeless consultant, Heaven for Hope
• Mary Mendez, 219-9928 – President, South Alamo Regional Alliance for the Homeless
• Mary Anne Votion, 385-9008 – Program Administrator, The Salvation Army

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About The Salvation Army:
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination since 1865. Nearly 33 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. About 83 cents of every dollar raised is used to support those services in nearly 9,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to http://www.salvationarmyusa.org.