Five Minute Requests

That is a question Margot Ackermann, in-house data wizard (otherwise known as the Director of Research and Evaluation), hears regularly from our Executive Director, Kelly King Horne. When Kelly is tackling community issues surrounding homelessness, she often turns to Margot for insight through data. Margot oversees the Homeward Community Information System (HCIS), and the regional point-in-time counts. These two data sources, which are rooted in conversations with people experiencing homelessness in our region, provide powerful information that we use to improve our coordinated programs and services.

In order to gauge whether the question is one that Margot can answer quickly or if it's a more involved data request that could take days to complete, Kelly will ask Margot if her inquiry is a “5-minute request.” These 5-minute requests typically address specific questions asked by our partners about the experiences of subpopulations experiencing homelessness or potential overlaps between homeless services and other systems of care.

We wanted to share these insights with you. Thank YOU for your interest in preventing and ending homelessness in our community.