CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Overnight, while most were sleeping, 400 volunteers were out on the streets to take an annual census of the homeless in Chicago.
They literally count people - like a traditional census in all the areas of the city where the homeless try to get through a cold night.
"We actually will, for example, approach an individual or a tent."
Carolyn Ross is president and CEO of All Chicago Making Homelessness History, one of the main organizations taking part in the census.
"And even if the tent is zipped closed we will ask if anyone's in there and if they would be willing to answer a question. It's always voluntary," she said.
"If they say no, we still walk away and say that was a male. Minimally we will at least get their gender."
Ross said that besides getting data on the homeless - which tells officials what resources are needed in the future - the volunteers will offer help and give out socks and gloves.
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