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All Departments Administration Corrections Development Services Facilities Management Human Resources Information Technology Library Services Management and Budget Services Natural Resources Management Neighborhood and Human Services Parks and Recreation Public Safety Public Works Veterans Services Waste ServicesOpening Doors Northwest Florida and Escambia County collaborated to host the 2026 I-Count Homeless Connect Event Thursday, Jan. 29, which drew approximately 175 attendees and over 50 vendors to help connect homeless individuals with valuable community resources and services.
The event took place at the Brownsville Community Center, with vendors offering a variety of free services including haircuts, immunizations, health screenings and more. The Escambia County Tax Collector's Office also issued 60 Florida IDs during the event, which are essential for individuals who are seeking jobs or taking other steps toward becoming self-sufficient. Olive Baptist Church and Overflow Health Alliance provided lunch during the event, donating approximately 300 meals to I-Count attendees.
Opening Doors Northwest Florida Executive Director Bruce Cady said the goal of the I-Count event is efficiency and convenience, by providing resources in a one-stop shop location for those experiencing homelessness.
“It’s very humbling to see so many high-quality service providers gathered here for the common good,” Cady said. “The parking lot was full, which is a wonderful testament to the local leaders and the community at large. We had such a great turnout of service providers, and I love seeing the community come together to serve our fellow neighbors. That level of dedication is invaluable.”
In an effort to make the I-Count Homeless Connect Event accessible to all, Escambia County Area Transit provided free transportation to and from the event. Additional vendors included Florida Department of Health, Community Health Northwest Florida, Health and Hope Clinic, Re-Entry Alliance Pensacola, Ministry Village at Olive, Waterfront Rescue Mission, and many more.
“Events like this demonstrate what a strong network of service providers, nonprofits and faith-based organizations we have right here in our community who serve our residents every day,” Escambia County Deputy Public Safety Director and Emergency Manager Travis Tompkins said. “Escambia County is extremely appreciative of our partnership with Opening Doors Northwest Florida and all our community partners who participated in our event. We are proud to work with so many generous individuals and organizations that are ready and willing to lend a helping hand.”
In addition to connecting homeless individuals with community resources, the I-Count event also contributed to the annual Point-In-Time Count, which is a nationwide count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. Data for the PIT count is submitted each year to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.
This event was an Escambia County Real Change event, which aims to help connect the community with resources and assistance. For more information about Escambia County Real Change, visit MyEscambia.com/realchange. To learn more about Opening Doors Northwest Florida, visit openingdoorsnwfl.org.
The mission of Escambia County government is to provide efficient, responsive services that enhance our quality of life, meet common needs and promote a safe and healthy community.
Under Florida law, IP addresses and both the content of emails and email addresses are public records. If you do not want your IP address and the content of your email or your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. Instead, contact this office by phone or in person.