Union Gospel Mission One of Several Locations Participating in Homeless Count

DULUTH, MN – Every year, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development mandates a survey of those experience homelessness across the US. For St. Louis County, that is today and a handful of locations across Duluth are participating in the count, including the folks over at the Union Gospel Mission.

“We’re gonna have crews set up at the table at our meal times to try and get tabs on who is currently homeless. So that could mean that, whether they’re sheltered or already out on the street, but they don’t have a home or a place of their own.  It’s your designator as to how you’re doing with homelessness in your community, if things are getting better, if things are getting worse. It’s just very, very important. And ultimately, down the line, that helps with funding that comes to these places,” said Susan Jordahl-Bubacz, executive director at the Union Gospel Mission

In the last 5 years, St. Louis County has seen a 25% increase in homelessness, and though last year’s numbers are inconclusive due to COVID, in Duluth there were 566 different people who sought out warming centers.