Local Volunteers Urgently Needed for Regional Count
The annual Point in Time (PIT) Count urgently needs volunteers to help count in Linn and Benton Counties.
What is the PIT Count?
The PIT count is a national requirement by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to count all unhoused individuals across the country. Community Services Consortium (CSC) coordinates this volunteer effort for Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties every year.
“It’s like a census of the unhoused population and is the only federally recognized number, used by HUD and state government to make decisions that directly impact all of us in terms of tens of millions of dollars” said Liesl Eckert, CSC Housing Services Manager coordinating the count this year.
While CSC supports the count by providing a dedicated staff member to recruit, organize, and train volunteers, the count itself is a volunteer effort, made possible by the support of generous community members in the three counties.
“The PIT count is an inherently very challenging task for a number of reasons,” explained Eckert. “The simple act of trying to meet and count unhoused individuals in one town is nearly impossible, let alone for a tri-county region the size of Connecticut.”
“Given the direct tie the outcome has to state and federal funding and resources for things like building affordable housing, shelter and transitional housing supports, and more, our region is in desperate need of an accurate count. And we need volunteers to do that,” Eckert concluded.
How does it work?
To add to this list of challenges CSC faces in conducting this count on behalf of the community, getting an accurate count in rural areas, which most of the region is, presents unique challenges.
Unlike the bustling environment in urban cities providing public anonymity, homelessness is much less visible in rural areas. Unhoused individuals often face unwanted interactions and attention for being too visible, so they find ways to hide from the public to be less detectable, making finding and counting them a more complex task.
Given the potential risks associated with the endeavor, safety is the top priority in organizing the count logistics. According to CSC, volunteers choose what they are most comfortable with, including when and where they count.
There are opportunities in shelters and other counting locations, which is the primary method, and the intent from HUD to do the count in the winter is to hopefully find more people in shelters and drop-in centers with the cold weather. And, for those that are comfortable and prepared to do so, there are opportunities to do street outreach in public and rural areas. Volunteers are always provided with training ahead of time and are paired with experienced volunteers and/or local service providers.
How to get involved!
For 2025, the count will take place January 29th – February 7th. There is a variety of volunteer shift times and days available in that timeframe. To sign up to volunteer, complete this form from CSC by January 22nd, or contact them at pitcount@communityservices.us to learn more.
Unable to volunteer but still want to support the PIT count? Donations are crucial, providing food, warming resources, and gift cards to unhoused individuals and families in our communities. Donate at givebutter.com/csc-pit or text “PIT” to 53-555.
