Homeless people: in Teresina, support groups offer reception and meals The number of homeless people in Piauí exceeded 1,700 in December 2025, according to the Brazilian Observatory of Public Policies with the Homeless Population, from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). The monitoring, based on data from the Single Registry for Social Programs (CadÚnico), from the Ministry of Social Development (MDS), shows that 1,767 people live on the streets in 49 of the state's 224 municipalities. ✅ Follow the g1 Piauí channel on WhatsApp The number is the highest in recent years analyzed. In 2023, there were 1,325 people; in 2024, 1,672. The majority of the population is concentrated in Teresina, with 1,010 people, followed by Parnaíba, with 198, and Floriano, with 27. Sought by g1, the Municipal Secretariat of Citizenship, Social Assistance and Integrated Policies of Teresina did not respond until the last update of this report. In a statement, Floriano City Hall reported that the city historically receives people looking for new job opportunities and improving their lives. According to the municipality, the increase in the number of homeless people is being monitored closely and is a priority on the assistance agenda. "However, migration without prior guarantees of work or housing has generated a worrying social impact: the increase in individuals who, due to lack of subsistence conditions, end up in a situation of extreme vulnerability and living on public roads", says the note. In a note, the City of Parnaíba informed that, through the Municipal Secretariat for Social Development and Citizenship (Sedesc), it maintains actions aimed at assisting people in vulnerable situations. In April 2026, the Specialized Reference Center for the Homeless Population (Centro Pop) registered 220 people served, with a predominance of men between 18 and 39 years old. "The municipal management emphasizes that not all people who use this social assistance device live on the streets. These users use public spaces as a means of survival during the day, however, they are not permanently on the streets", stated the note. Adults with low education are the majority The survey showed that more than 50% of respondents were between 40 and 59 years old and 44.4% said they had incomplete primary education Regarding the update of the Single Registry for Social Programs (CadÚnico), 47.5% of respondents reported that they updated the data in the last 12 months. With registration, it is possible to issue documents and access social benefits. The number of homeless people grows in Piauí and exceeds 1,700; see support actions Reproduction/TV Clube Welcome and help Father João Paulo, coordinator of Pastoral do Povo de Rua, reported that, in May this year, around 25 men and women currently live at the NGO located in the South Zone of Teresina. "They come from therapeutic homes. We offer food to around 35 to 40 vulnerable people who live in the region. Our goal is to serve 200 people daily from June 1st with the human rights project", said the priest. Another project is Dignidade nas Ruas, which provides assistance to this population in the capital. The initiative works alongside the bath car action, carried out by Semcaspi. "In addition to food, we distribute clothing kits. These clothes are attached to the mobile bath, and there is also hair hygiene," explained coordinator Patrício Andrade. Despite the difficulties and hunger experienced on the streets, Tatiana da Silva still shares the food she receives at the Specialized Reference Center for the Homeless Population (Centro POP), at Semcaspi, with the dogs that live with her, Lampião and Maria Bonita. The woman dreams of what, for many, is basic: a house and a television. "My dream was a house, even if it was made of clay, and a television, even if it was black and white," he said. The same dream is shared by Alex de Sousa, who wants to return to his family and "sleep in a comfortable bed". To g1, Semcaspi informed that the POP Center operates from Monday to Friday and offers various services. "From Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm, the Cadastro Único team operates, providing specialized assistance with social workers and psychologists, meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a specialized service in social approaches", explained the center's coordinator, Luma Pires. On weekends, the center offers services such as bathing, drinking water, contact with family, storage of belongings and charging of electronic ankle bracelets. The activities are monitored by teams of social educators. The secretariat highlighted that it also has Casa Caminho, which provides temporary accommodation for up to 40 people, aged between 18 and 59 years old. At the time of reception, the teams create an individual plan for each person. The objective is to restore the dignity and autonomy of this population. "The unit serves people who are homeless, whose reality arises from a complex and multifaceted intersection of social, economic and individual vulnerabilities, such as family conflicts, drug addiction, conflict with the law, mental illness and abandonment, unemployment, etc", explained Georgea Mendes, coordinator of the House. Homeless person Reproduction/TV Globo *Vitória Bacelar, intern under the supervision of Lucas Marreiros. VIDEOS: watch Rede Clube’s most viewed videos