Caritas of Austin recognizes nearly 200 homeless who passed in 2019

Caritas of Austin hosts Annual Homeless Memorial Service

Recognizing nearly 200 people who have died in Austin this year.

AUSTIN, Texas - Nearly 200 homeless women, men, and children have died in Austin this past year, according to Caritas of Austin.

Caritas of Austin honored 184 people early Sunday morning at an Annual Homeless Memorial Service.

The service recognized all those who have passed this last year who were homeless or living in poverty.

During the ceremony, names of the deceased were read aloud while a tag bearing their name was placed on a nearby tree

"Unfortunately it's the most names we've ever read, and recognized in terms of people who died on the street over the last year. It's a very solemn, very serious event, and of course, what we would like is for there to be no names to read." said Jo Katheryn Quinn, CEO of Caritas of Austin.

Caritas of Austin works to prevent and end homelessness in Austin with a belief that when people have a stable place to call home, they can reach their full potential and contribute to the community.