United Way CFC has also been the HUD grantee to manage the local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) as required under the McKinney Vento Act for all Continua of Care in the United States. United Way of Coastal Fairfield County is part of a consortium of three southwestern Connecticut Continua (Stamford, Bridgeport, and Norwalk) to increase efficiency and technical support to agencies required to enter data into the system. HUD Hartford has noted our model as a best practice. In addition, HUD chose the Bridgeport Continuum as one of nine communities in the country to participate in the national "Homeless Pulse" study . The main objective of this project is to compile HMIS-generated quarterly updates on shelter use, which will provide early indicators of how homelessness is changing over the course of the year.