Pinnacle Resource Center to Analyze Scott County Homelessness
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Pinnacle Resource Center to Analyze Scott County Homelessness
By Shane Gilreath
[email protected]
Pinnacle Resource Center, a Huntsville-based nonprofit dedicated to providing emergency shelter, food assistance, and social services, will serve as the lead agency for Scott County’s 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, scheduled for Tuesday, January 20, 2026. The PIT Count is an annual attempt – required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – to collect data on individuals experiencing homelessness across the country. Conducted each January, the count helps local Continuums of Care identify trends, assess needs, and guide funding and services. Pinnacle Resource Center participates in the regional Continuum of Care known as Homeless Advocacy for Rural Tennessee (HART).
While recent research from the World Population Review suggests that the homeless population has decreased in Tennessee by 10.1% in 2023, the same cannot be said for the nation at large. In 2024, the national homelessness is believed to have increased by 18% – a record high – numbering 771,500 people across America experiencing homelessness.
For the upcoming local count, Kellie Newton has been named Scott County PIT Count Captain. Under her leadership, Pinnacle Resource Center will coordinate local efforts to ensure accuracy in Scott County’s data collection while attempting to provide outreach services and support to those in need across the community.
In conjunction with the PIT Count, Pinnacle Resource Center will host a community outreach entitled “Haircuts, Snacks, and Backpacks” on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, from 5 to 7 PM. The event will take place at the organization’s shelter, located at 1513 Jeffers Road in Huntsville. Individuals who are homeless or unhoused – identified, federally, as individuals who lack stable, safe, permanent, or appropriate housing – are invited to stop by for a free haircut, complimentary snacks, and a backpack filled with essential items designed to help meet immediate needs.
Participation in the event requires completion of a brief, anonymous survey regarding an individual’s living situation. No identifying information will be collected and only demographic data will be used to better access and address the specific needs of Scott County’s homeless population.
Pinnacle Resource Center also announced upcoming holiday closures for its food pantry. The pantry will be closed through the holidays until Tuesday, December 30, 2025, and is set to reopen on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, over 700 people experiencing homelessness die from hypothermia each year in the United States.
