The HOMY Collective: Helping Our Miami-Dade Youth and staff from Miami Homes For All, partner agencies and community volunteers, will conduct the annual iCount Miami housing survey from Friday, January 24 through Friday, January 31. For the seventh year, the housing survey will identify youth, ages 13-24, experiencing homelessness, or housing instability across Miami-Dade County.
"Each year, we partner with agencies all across the county because we believe that everyone deserves a place to call home," stated Annie Lord, Executive Director of Miami Homes For All. "Thanks to more organized community outreach, iCount Miami experienced a 700% increase in relevant surveys since 2013. Accurate data collection helps our coalition and county quantify the problem and better serve the growing community of young people experiencing housing instability."
The week-long housing survey is anonymous and quickly accessible online at icountmiami.com. Local agencies like 211 Miami, Adults Mankind Organization, and Pridelines, among others, are vetted open magnet sites where individuals, ages 13-24, can take the survey and seek assistance if they are on their own and are experiencing housing struggles.
"The results from the 2020 iCount Miami survey will help local homeless service partners provide more comprehensive permanent housing, outreach, and supportive services to our youth," expressed Mary Behr, MS, Chief Program Officer of Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services, Inc. "Results from the count will shine a light on this invisible population and give an idea of the progress being made by the collaborative efforts of local service agencies."
The iCount Miami survey initiative is made possible by sponsors like Miami Homes For All and Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services, Miami-Dade County's only emergency home serving kids, ages 10 to 17, and access point for community outreach services. Other sponsors include Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Project UP-START, Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust, Publix, United Way of Miami-Dade, and other local partner agencies that provide young people with housing, education, employment, health, and other supportive services.
Click here to see the full list of iCount Miami open magnet sites, community sponsors, and partners.
About Miami Homes For All
Since 1985, Miami Homes For All has worked to end and prevent homelessness in Miami-Dade County.
We believe that everyone in Miami deserves to lead a dignified, healthy, and vibrant life. That includes everyone from those struggling to make ends meet to those experiencing homelessness. Armed with the best research available, and convinced that together we can accomplish more, we collaborate with people across the entire spectrum of our community to identify the best ideas and to turn our vision into reality: a Miami where everyone has a safe and stable home. For more information, visit www.miamihomesforall.org.
About Miami Bridge Youth & Family Services, Inc.
Miami Bridge was established in 1985 and serves as Miami-Dade County’s only 24-hour emergency shelter for children and teens in crisis ages 10-17. For 34 years, the non-profit organization has worked to rescue youth in the community from lives of victimization and crime by providing refuge, protection and specialized care in a nurturing, stable environment. Annually, Miami Bridge shelters more than 600 children and teens, providing over 10,000 care days for those individuals, as well as counseling to more than 550 families with children ages 6-17. For additional information, please visit www.miamibridge.org.
About The HOMY Collective: Helping Our Miami-Dade Youth
The HOMY Collective is a collective impact effort of 100 agencies working together to address youth homelessness by strategizing around stable housing, education and employment; well-being; and permanent connections. Their vision is that youth homelessness in Miami-Dade County will be a rare occurrence, and when it does occur, it will be a brief and one-time experience. Miami-Dade County is committed to ensuring that every youth experiencing homelessness has access to immediate shelter and that no youth spends a single night on the streets, in a car, or any location not meant for human habitation. Our community is committed to equal access and equitable outcomes for youth of color, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth with disabilities.
