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NC Counties Take Steps To Keep Homeless Safe During COVID-19 Pandemic

Forsyth County commissioners discuss local COVID-19 response during a recent meeting. KERI BROWN/WFDD

It's hard to shelter in place when you have no place to call home. 

Public health workers across the state are visiting local homeless shelters to provide guidance on social distancing and cleaning protocols to mitigate community spread and maximize shelter operations.

In Forsyth County, the Board of Commissioners recently approved $375,000 in additional emergency funding for COVID-19 response. A portion of that will assist homeless individuals who are thought to have the virus or may have been exposed.

Based on a community spread formula, they project that 115 homeless individuals will be served over the next 90 days.

“Right now, it really is just getting a hotel, motel, or getting another to commit to housing this category of individuals," says Shontell Robinson, Assistant County Manager. "That has been our biggest challenge at the moment. But we are optimistic and we are continuing to work on that."

She says the funding will also be used for medical support and food service for this vulnerable population.

Currently, there are around 1,900 homeless individuals in Forsyth County.

For the most up-to-date information on coronavirus in North Carolina, visit our Live Updates blog here. WFDD wants to hear your stories — connect with us and let us know what you're experiencing.

*Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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