"This is an opportunity for Torontonians to help some of our most vulnerable residents," said Councillor Jaye Robinson (Ward 25 Don Valley West), Chair of the Community Development and Recreation Committee. "Without hard data on what services people find useful in finding and keeping housing, we cannot be sure that we are making the right investments to help the city's homeless.
"Those who volunteer for the Street Needs Assessment are stepping forward to help achieve our long-term goal of ending homelessness, one person at a time."
Results of the 2013 survey will help policy makers and program developers ensure that the right services are in place to assist people who are homeless to find and keep permanent housing. Data will be compared with results from the 2006 and 2009 surveys to develop a current profile of the face of homelessness in Toronto
Volunteers are needed to perform the surveys outdoors and in the city-funded emergency shelters. City staff and community partners will gather statistics and survey information in hard-to-reach areas and in VAW shelters and in correctional, health and treatment centres.
City residents 18 years of age or older on April 17 are invited to sign up online at http://www.toronto.ca/housing or by calling 311. No previous experience is needed and there are opportunities to volunteer throughout the city.
