Nearly 1 in 3 Homeless People in Clark County Are Children

New data from the Council for the Homeless' 2026 Point-in-Time Count, reported by The Columbian, puts a hard number on something food banks across Clark County see every day: homelessness in our community is increasingly a family problem, and kids are bearing the brunt of it.

 

The count, taken on a single day in January, found that Clark County's overall homeless population actually dropped 18% over the past year, from 1,530 to 1,260 people. That's encouraging news. But look closer at the numbers and a different trend emerges. Over the course of the year, 2,334 children under 18 experienced homelessness in Clark County — nearly 1 in 3 of everyone counted. More than 800 of those children were under age 5.

 

Families with children are the one group moving in the wrong direction. More than 170 families with kids were counted this year, a 16% increase over last year, and the number of people in unsheltered families rose 21%. Council for the Homeless executive director Sesany Fennie-Jones pointed to the underlying cause: rent is so expensive that it's pushing families onto the street.

 

Why "invisible" homelessness matters

 

Service providers describe family homelessness as invisible, because it rarely looks like a tent on a sidewalk. It looks like a family living out of a car, or three generations crowded onto a relative's couch, or kids doing homework in a motel room. Rising rents and a shortage of affordable housing are forcing more parents into these situations, and shelter space hasn't kept pace with the need.

 

What this means at the food bank

 

We see the same families in this data at our door. When rent takes up nearly every dollar of a household's income, groceries are often the first thing to give. That's exactly the gap North County Community Food Bank exists to fill. We serve more than 950 families a month in the North Clark County area, and we partner directly with Council for the Homeless and other local organizations to connect families with the fuller range of support they need, not just food, but housing referrals, job assistance, and more.

 

The point-in-time count is a single snapshot, but the trend it captures — more families and more young children losing stable housing — is one we can't look away from.

 

How you can help

• Donate. Every dollar helps us stock shelves for families who are choosing between rent and groceries. Give here.
• Volunteer. From sorting food to helping at events, there's a role for you. Sign up here.
• Know a family who needs help? Our doors are open Monday through Friday. See our services and hours.

Homelessness among children isn't a distant statistic — it's happening in our own neighborhoods. With community support, we can help make sure no family in North Clark County has to choose between a roof and a meal.

 

Source: Data: Nearly 1 in 3 homeless people in Clark County are children, The Columbian, July 14, 2026.