Leaders and community partners gathered in Rockville on Thursday to remember 69 residents who died in the last year and had experienced homelessness.
Residents who were once homeless shared their stories at the annual event as the county memorialized those who recently died.
As the seasons change every year, said County Chief Administrative Officer Richard Madaleno, it is a reminder of the reality that homelessness persists.
“Especially on a day like today with Code Purple air quality where so many people are going to struggle to get just a breath of air,” said Madaleno.
The event was moved indoors this year after unhealthy air quality conditions permeated the area due to remnants from wildfires in Canada.
County Council President Evan Glass said councilmembers supported expanded services in the county’s budget.
“Tens and hundreds of millions of dollars, to make sure that our most vulnerable residents in the community have the support that they need,” Glass said.
The county has a goal to end homelessness — or reach “functional zero” — by 2025, explained Christine Hong, Chief of Services to End and Prevent Homelessness. That would mean the number of people experiencing homelessness in any given month is less than the average number of people exiting homelessness in a month, said Hong.
Most who died in the last year “were able to pass away with dignity in their own housing,” according to event information.
This year, county staff and volunteers located 894 people experiencing homelessness during a Point-in-Time count. It is a 54% increase from last year’s count.
Last year, leaders remembered 60 homeless individuals who passed away.
