Every winter volunteers scour Turlock helping officials to get a physical census of the number of homeless individuals and families in the city as part of a countywide point-in-time count.

The annual count data helps determine the scope of homelessness in each city and the county as a whole, define existing resources, and identify any gaps in services. The Stanislaus Community System of Care, which oversees the count, is looking for a few hundred local volunteers to aid in this effort.

“While we have made great strides in addressing homelessness in our community, there are still challenges and work to be done,” stated Maryn Pitt, Chair of the Stanislaus County Community System of Care. “The information we gather as part of the annual Point in Time Count serves as a valuable tool in not only understanding who is experiencing homelessness but also assists us in identifying unmet needs and better aligning resources in the community.”

The data is used to help determine the amount of funding available to communities to develop housing and supportive services for people moving from homelessness to independent living. Every year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires communities to count the number of people experiencing homelessness in counties across the nation. The PIT count is a snapshot in time, an unduplicated count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January.

Last year, 2,091 homeless persons were identified in Stanislaus County during the point-in-time count, an increase of 234 people from 2022’s total count. In Turlock, there were 233 homeless persons surveyed, an increase of 22 from 2022.

The city of Modesto had the largest number of homeless surveyed in January 2023 with 1,642 people. The city of Turlock was second. Of the count, 55% (1,142) came from the sheltered population — congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotel/motel voucher programs — while 45% (949 people) came from the count of people living on the streets, in parks, abandoned buildings, or in their cars.

Of the unsheltered population, 40% (949) told surveyors they slept on the streets or on sidewalks. Of the sheltered population, 69% said they stayed in an emergency shelter — a 32% increase from the 2022 count due to the increased State and Federal funding used for hotel/motel vouchers — while 19% stayed in transitional housing.

This year’s count is scheduled for Jan. 25, 2024. It’s a big countywide operation that requires many volunteers. They’ll work alongside the Stanislaus County Homeless Outreach and Engagement Team as they fan out across communities. Volunteers will engage with local homeless individuals and their families to complete a survey and help distribute care packages (beanies, socks, snack, and water) to people they survey.

The goal is to register 250 volunteers. Those who wish to participate, can visit: https://stanislaus24.pointintime.info/ Volunteers will be required to choose a training session and select the city where they’d like to work. Other options include registering via phone at (209) 558-2961 or e-mail csoc@stancounty.com. The registration deadline is Jan. 7, 2024.

For more information about CSOC, visit www.csocstan.com.