The Heart of Outreach – Celebrating National Social Work Month

March is National Social Work Month!

For some, social work starts as a job but quickly becomes a lifelong passion. For Taylor, that passion started at just 15 years old.

Taylor, CFTH Outreach Associate, poses for portrait photo.

“My dad was part of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homeless Outreach Team in its early years, and one night, on the way home, he spotted a client he had been looking for. He pulled over to get him some food, and while he was talking to him, I had this overwhelming feeling that I needed to talk to him, too. I got out of the car and walked right up to him. When I got back in, I started crying and told my mom I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life.”

That moment led to years of volunteering and building a deeper connection to the work. Today, Taylor’s role involves a mix of daily tasks. “Most days don't look the same,” she says. One week might be responding to community requests, checking on our clients, or searching for people who may need assistance, and the next, we might be moving as fast as we can to prepare everyone for inclement weather.”

While the work can be challenging, the biggest hurdle is often the mental health struggles many people face while living on the streets. “It can look different for each person; some can't talk to us enough to get information, and others aren't able to realize they need the help.”

Still, the wins - big or small - make it all worthwhile. “Every interaction reminds me why I do this... Seeing someone finally move into a place of their own and get some peace of mind is one of the greatest feelings.”

When it comes to homelessness, Taylor wishes more people understood the stories behind each person. “If only they could all meet the veterans who have lost everything or the single mothers fleeing domestic violence. Everyone on the street has a different story. Looking at them with an open mind and not judging them for their hardships would help many understand our homeless population.”

For Taylor, National Social Work Month is an opportunity to raise awareness about the difference their vital work makes. “It’s about highlighting the importance of having people in these roles.”

As we bring this month to a close, let’s continue taking action by supporting the social workers making a difference in our communities daily.

Taylor assisting clients during the 2025 Point-in-Time Count.

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CFTH Leads 2026 PIT Count of People Experiencing Homelessness

By Catherine Villarreal • February 24, 2026

Houston, Texas (February 24, 2026) – This week, the nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County (CFTH) is leading the annual Point-in-Time Homeless Count & Survey (“PIT Count”) to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness across Houston and throughout Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties. “We may see a slight uptick in the number this year, but we have a plan,” said Kelly Young, President & CEO of CFTH. “With the support of the City of Houston, Harris County, and private funders, we have been piloting new interventions to shorten the length of time people in our region experience homelessness. With adequate funding, we look forward to expanding those interventions to help people regain lives of self-determination.” CFTH coordinates the Houston region’s public-private homeless response system, The Way Home . Through this collaboration, The Way Home partners have successfully housed over 36,000 people since 2012. CFTH will release the results of Houston’s 2026 PIT Count in the summer, following independent verification by an epidemiologist. These findings will provide insight into how factors such as increases in the cost of living and the end of federal pandemic relief funding have impacted homelessness in our region. More information about the 2026 Point-in-Time Homeless Count & Survey The PIT Count offers a snapshot of how many people are experiencing homelessness in our region on a single night. This year, the “night of record” is Monday, Feb. 23. CFTH determines the number of people staying in shelters on that night by pulling records electronically from the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) . The unsheltered count will be conducted on the following days, from Tuesday, Feb. 24 to Thursday, Feb. 26. More than 400 volunteers and staff of local nonprofit service provider partners will canvass the three-county region to survey people living unsheltered, using an app on their mobile devices. Results from the 2026 PIT Count will help gauge the progress of The Way Home’s ongoing collaborative efforts. It will also help CFTH and partner homeless outreach teams understand geographic shifts and target their outreach throughout the year. The PIT Count illuminates specific programmatic gaps and provides additional information needed to allocate resources most efficiently. The PIT Count is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) for the annual Continuum of Care (CoC) funding process. HUD furnishes the majority of funding for programs that provide housing and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness in the region. In 2024, HUD granted more than $71 million to the Houston area.

Preparing for a Winter Storm

By Catherine Villarreal • January 21, 2026

As lead agency to The Way Home Continuum of Care (CoC), CFTH is working with local governmental entities to advocate on behalf of people experiencing homelessness to ensure their needs are being considered as winter weather affects our region. We will make frequent updates as we receive information. Please check back often for the latest information. Last updated 02/01/2026 at 12:00 p.m.

Press Release: CFTH’S 2025 Point-in-Time Count Results Highlight Shifts in Homelessness Across Houston

By Fryda Ochoa • September 9, 2025

While our system has helped thousands of people move from homelessness to housing, this year’s results highlight the need to broaden our approach.