Augusta, GA

Homeless ‘point in time’ survey is counting on your help

Published

2 years ago

January 11, 2024

Homeless ‘point in time’ survey is counting on your help

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – This year, there is more need than ever to help those who experience homelessness.

It’s cold outside, the winds are brutal on any given day, and if you stand out there long enough, your hands and toes begin to lose circulation.

Imagine living this day in and day out.

Every year on the last 10 days of January, communities conduct a count of the homeless.

This year, the “point-in-time” count will be Jan. 22-31 in Augusta.

In 2022, Augusta found 576 people experiencing homelessness. In 2023, the count grew to 643.

“Our homeless point in time is our annual count of our sheltered and unsheltered individuals here in our community,” said Tammy Ruth, homeless coordinator for Augusta Housing Community Development.

It’s not just a time to count the homeless but also an opportunity along with at least 15 shelters and pop-up shelters to provide resources to the homeless.

The face of homelessness is changing.

“Homelessness looks like you and me. It looks like the child sitting next to your child in school. It looks like the doctor that may be providing care for you. It could be your attorney. It could be the person serving you at McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A, we never know who is experiencing homelessness,” said Bethany Trapp, program coordinator for Marion Barnes Assessment and Referral Center for the Homeless.

They are expecting numbers to grow even higher this year.

“They’re at least double that are experiencing homelessness in Augusta. We want to try and make sure that we encapsulate all of that during this count so that we get a true number. Homelessness is fluid. There’s a lot of times where we may not find them in encampments,” said Trapp.

This year, there are more shelters than ever, and the call has gone out for community assistance with the count and with putting together survival kits.

Close to 150 volunteers are needed to pull this off.

“We are currently sitting at around 104 volunteers. We would love to see about 40 or 50 more, just to make sure that we have all of that coverage,” said Trapp.

MORE FROM NEWS 12:

Golden Harvest Food Bank opens new center, seeks more volunteers
Salvation Army of Augusta surpasses Red Kettle campaign goal

Both day and night volunteers are needed, and they’ll need to attend a training session.

Donation needs include toiletries, sleeping bags, dry foods and canned foods.

Ruth said: “We have a task for any community member that has a desire to help and make a meaningful impact in their community.”

LaDonna Doleman, manager at the Master’s Table soup kitchen, says every little bit counts to save and change a life.

“Everyone counts. Every meal counts. Every volunteer counts. Every guest counts. Every family, every meal counts, and we are changing lives every day,” said Doleman.

Trapp explained why it’s rewarding to volunteer: “Most of all, it is a way for those who care about homelessness to get involved and make a difference in their local community.”

To volunteer, visit https://forms.gle/3gkmS2FQhAQYM5wi8.

THE SCHEDULE:

FACES OF HOMELESSNESS IN AUGUSTA:

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Augusta, GA

Historic Masters landmark purchased and renovated by local resident

Published

5 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

Historic Masters landmark purchased and renovated by local resident | News | wfxg.com

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Augusta, GA

Georgia governor candidate Olu Brown campaigns in Augusta

Published

17 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

Georgia governor candidate Olu Brown campaigns in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Olu Brown visited Augusta on Friday evening, stopping near the Sand Hills Community Center as early voting continues.

Brown is one of six candidates in the Democratic primary.

Campaign priorities

Brown said his vision as governor would focus on three main areas.

“One, it’s affordability around health care and making sure we expand Medicaid and expand Peach Care and make sure we continue to make our rural health care systems healthy and vital,” Brown said. “Number two, we’ve got to address education in all of Georgia, making sure every kid in Georgia gets an excellent education, and we’re paying our teachers more. And number 3, we’re protecting the rights of all women. Folks in the Gold Dome shouldn’t be making decisions about their bodies or the choices that they make.”

Brown is running against Amanda Duffy, Derrick Jackson, Geoff Duncan, Jason Esteves, Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mike Thurmond.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta Prep student arrested over picture of LEGO gun, threat he called a joke

Published

1 day ago

May 8, 2026

Press Room

Augusta Prep student arrested over picture of LEGO gun, threat he called a joke

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – An Augusta Prep student was arrested on a charge of terroristic threats over a picture of a LEGO gun he posted on social media.

It happened Wednesday, according to an incident report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

Eric Hedinger, the principal of Augusta Preparatory Day School, told deputies a student had uploaded a picture to Snapchat of a “pistol” with the caption “shooting up the school so I don`t have to take the stats exam tomorrow. Don`t come yall!”

The principal said he spoke to the student and his father about the photo.

The principal also provided deputies with the student’s address in Grovetown.

A deputy went there and was told by the student that the “pistol” was a LEGO set that he had built.

He also said the comment he made was supposed to be a joke because he was not looking forward to taking his Advanced Placement statistics test this week.

The student showed the deputy the box that the LEGO set came in, and how the set was already disassembled.

The deputy also looked in the boy’s room to make sure he was not in possession of any weapons.

The mother advised that there was one firearm in the residence but it was locked up.