The nationwide Point-In-Time count to assist those in need, especially the unsheltered, began Wednesday in Schuylkill County.

Each year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires every county in the United States to tally its numbers of “sheltered” and “unsheltered” homeless.

A number of free community meals will be held and volunteers will hand out updated resource guides and bags of essential items.

In Schuylkill County, the count is coordinated by Service Access and Management Inc., Servants to All Homeless Center, and Schuylkill County MH/DS and Drug & Alcohol Program.

Free dinners were held Wednesday in Tamaqua and St. Clair, and resources were distributed in Orwigsburg.

Dinners will be held today at the following locations, with food provided by Catholic Charities, unless otherwise noted:

Frackville: Living Waters Church of God, 155 S. Balliet St., 7 - 8 p.m.

Ashland: Helping Hands Thrift Store, 1005 Center St., 2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Shenandoah: American Legion Post 792, 116 N. Main St., 4 - 5 p.m.

Mahanoy City: Mahanoy City Senior Center, 138 W. Center St., 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Minersville: Minersville Area Food Program, Fourth and Spencer streets, 5 - 7 p.m. Food provided by food bank.