State runs Point-in-Time count

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - It's an issue that unfortunately floods the United States. Homelessness.
    
And its impact lives right here in the Wabash Valley.
    
Reba Luken said this is her second year at the Lighthouse Mission.  She helps collect numbers for the Point-in-Time homeless count.
    
This program is run by the state every year.
   
It helps count how many people are actually homeless in the state of Indiana and work to help.

“It’s just going to take a lot of work to end this problem. But that’s our goal,” said Bonnie Wallace, The Light House Mission’s director of developments.    

Bonnie said the count is an important part of helping the homelessness problem.
    
The statistics collected are used to send funding to different parts of the state where homeless numbers are high.

“It’s important for us here in the Wabash Valley to do a good count because then that allows money to be sent to us to help serve those people who are homeless,” said Bonnie.
    
Some of the money goes toward helping the homeless find housing, as well as help the mission's funding.
    
Bonnie said sometimes it's discouraging because the numbers are overwhelming.

“It’s a big job. We’re trying very hard ot do it. It just seems like as we work on it, the numbers seem to get bigger and bigger,” said Bonnie.
    
But Bonnie and Reba are still hoping to help beat homelessness in their own community.

“But that’s our goal. The goal is someday actually take care of homelessness, so no one will have to be that,” said Bonnie.