Trinidad's annual Point-in-Time count at Fort Wootton dinner; providers, officials weigh findings

Trinidad-area nonprofit and service providers completed the annual Point In Time (PIT) survey the last week of January at a dinner catered by Almack’s Kitchen at the warming center at Fort Wootton, conducting a one-night headcount of people experiencing homelessness across Las Animas County. The survey was carried out on the night of January 27th and organized around the meal at the warming center to reach people who might otherwise be missed.

The PIT is a one-night headcount of people experiencing homelessness. The survey is a count of everyone who is experiencing homelessness on the night of January 27th. The census captures only the most narrow definition of homelessness, which is people who are living outside or in an unsafe shelter without heat or running water. People who have a temporary place to stay, like a friend’s couch, are not counted.

Last year, 126 people were counted by the PIT survey in Las Animas County. Reporting available for this round did not include a total for the Jan. 27 night; organizers who ran the Fort Wootton dinner and the network of Trinidad-area service providers have not released a publicly available current-night figure in the materials reviewed.

PIT survey data is important because we use it to apply for federal funding to be used in response to homelessness. Importantly, our two-county region has never received these funds, with the exception of funding [...] That partial funding history underscores why providers say accurate PIT documentation matters for Las Animas County’s access to federal programs and for planning shelters, outreach and emergency warming operations like the one at Fort Wootton.

Almack’s Kitchen and the Fort Wootton warming center served as the logistical hub for the count, enabling volunteers and caseworkers to speak directly with people who met the PIT’s narrow definition. The summary materials did not list the names of the Trinidad-area nonprofits and service providers who coordinated the count, nor did they include demographic breakdowns such as unsheltered versus sheltered totals, veteran status, or family counts.

Local providers and officials weighed the findings in subsequent coverage and conversations, emphasizing the PIT’s role in funding applications and operational planning. For Las Animas County officials and nonprofit coordinators, the immediate next step is to confirm and publish the Jan. 27 count and to provide the full PIT dataset so community leaders can assess trends since the year when 126 people were counted.