Candlelight vigil held for the 135 houseless community members who died in 2023

Faith leaders and advocates from the community lead a vigil at the Reno City Plaza to remember the 135 houseless people who died in 2023. Father Chuck Durante from Saint Thomas Aquinas Cathedral in Reno opened up the vigil, acknowledging over the last three years of these vigils, the number of those dying while experiencing homelessness continues to increase.
“We are not going in the right direction,” Durante said.
Although the public vigils have been ongoing since 2020, the number of deaths of people experiencing homelessness has increased each year since 2016, with 2023 marking the highest death count yet.
Video by Michelle Baker for This Is Reno.

[@bizlarry]

Absolutely horrifying. It's truly shocking. Not only that people are dying but at such an increase in a short period of time. My God, 20 years old and then 81years old. No one of any age should be dying on the streets. Period.