CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Continuum of Care homeless coalition's newly formed Interfaith Committee will hold its first meeting on Thursday, Dec. 20, and faith-based groups are encouraged to attend.

The Lake County Continuum of Care, or COC, is a coordinating group that aligns resources to facilitate solutions to end homelessness in our community.

The Interfaith Committee specifically helps faith-based groups to align their work to serve our homeless neighbors.

The committee will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday at Hope Center, 3400 Emerson St. in Clearlake.

The Interfaith Committee will cover what is currently being done to serve Lake County’s homeless, how faith-based groups can help with the operation of the coalition’s new shower trailer and what projects they would like to request funding support for in the future.

Why is this committee needed?

On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the COC held a point-in-time, or PIT, survey to count the sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and families in Lake County.

The PIT count helps the COC gain a better understanding of homelessness in our community and needed services and resources. It also enables the county to apply for federal resources to address the homeless crisis.

The 107 volunteers coordinated by the COC counted 612 of our neighbors who are homeless. Of these 504 were adults and 108 children, meaning 1 of 6 people who are homeless in Lake County is a child.

Here is a breakdown by community:

– Lakeport had the highest percentage of children with 29 percent of those counted being under the age of 18. There were 22 children and 54 adults for a total of 76.
– Lucerne had a total of 47 residents who are homeless, of which 36 were adults and 11 children.
– Nice/Upper Lake also had 47 total homeless, with 39 adults and eight children.
– Volunteers counted five children and 46 adults in Middletown for a total of 51.
– In Kelseyville volunteers counted 17 people who are homeless, 14 adults and three children.
– Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks and Lower Lake were grouped together and 293 adults and 26 children counted and identified as being without shelter.