On the longest night of the year, hundreds of Houstonians will gather on the steps of City Hall to honor the lives of those homeless who died in 2012. The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston and Harris County remembers those who have lived on the streets by reading aloud each person's name at a candlelight vigil.

The ceremony will open with the presentation of colors by formerly homeless veterans. An open prayer will be shared with the audience. Then representatives from the Coalition will read the names of the deceased homeless individuals for the audience to acknowledge and reflect upon the loss of these people. 

Before the vigil at 4:30 p.m., volunteers from the Coalition and local homeless service providers will serve a hot meal to those living on the streets. They will also distribute hygiene kits, coats, blankets collected by the employees of Insperity, gloves and hats to anyone experiencing homelessness.

The vigil is held in conjunction with National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, an annual event commemorated in more than 150 cities and counties across the United States on the first day of winter.