CCB Media File Photo: 2015 Homeless Persons Remembrance Day in Hyannis
HYANNIS – A special event will take place in Hyannis on Wednesday to honor National Homeless Persons Remembrance Day.
The gathering will begin at 5 p.m. on the Hyannis Village Green, and be followed by a memorial service at the Federated Church.
Organizers say they’ll honor 22 homeless or formerly homeless individuals who were lost this past year, shedding light on the scope of impact of homelessness.
“The point of the Homeless Persons Memorial Day service is to put a name and face and a story behind the statistics,” said Elyse DeGroot, Director of Community Relations and Marketing for Duffy Health.
Studies estimate that between 4,000-6,000 people fall into homelessness annually across Cape Cod, many of whom are employed.
“It’s the whole issue of high cost of living and low-paying service jobs, and people not being able to put the two together to find a place to live,” DeGroot said.
While homelessness remains a large issue, there has been progress. In 2009, the Main Street Initiative counted 93 people on the street in Downtown Hyannis; today that count hovers between 15 and 30 people depending on the season.
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