Across the country each year, outreach workers hit the streets, parks, alleyways and woods searching for the unhoused. They conduct a census -- asking an array of questions to better understand which groups are homeless and what’s behind their situations.

The Point-in-Time Counts are a stark reminder of struggles many face. But the county can also reveal good news about inroads being made.

A case-in-point for Collier County: Last year’s count found 40 homeless military veterans; This year's count found only 12.

"They're seeing very few homeless veterans out in the camps, and so we think that that's been a huge win," said Michael Overway of the Collier County Continuum of Care. "The Continuum has focused a lot of resource on veterans in getting them attached to housing and treatment services. So that's been, I think, the huge win in this count.”

The actual count cannot be gathered in a single day. Overway believes the count represents about one-quarter to one-third of the actual number of people unhoused on any given day.

Still, he predicts when Warrior Homes of Collier opens its 20-bed transitional housing program later this year then the county will achieve what’s called a Functional Zero veteran homeless population.

“The Continuum of Care is trying to really get veteran homelessness to a point where we can end it," Overway said. "And when I say end it, it doesn't mean there are no more homeless veterans, it just means we're in a position where we have enough supportive services in beds for the people who are veterans who are experiencing homelessness on the streets.”

As Memorial Day approaches, that is an achievement worth celebrating.

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