Every day in Pierce County, hundreds of people sleep in cars, shelters, or on the street. They are someone’s mom, dad, child, or friend. Do you ever wonder how they lost everything and became homeless? Or how many people in your community are in a similar situation? We answer these questions, and many more, every year through the Point-In-Time (PIT) Count.
Pierce County Human Services is recruiting volunteers to conduct interviews with individuals and families during the Point-In-Time Count from late Thursday, Jan. 27, through Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. Volunteers must register online, be over 18 years old, have access to a smart phone, and commit to attend a virtual training session. Volunteer opportunities are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
"We use the PIT Count to help us better understand how we can help our neighbors in crisis,” said Heather Moss, Pierce County Human Services. “Our goal is to ensure that homelessness is rare, brief, and one-time. We are thankful to the many volunteers that help us through this effort.”
There are six upcoming virtual volunteer training opportunities:
- Jan. 18 – 5:30-6:30 p.m.
- Jan. 19 – 9-10:30 a.m.
- Jan. 19 – 1:30-2 p.m.
- Jan. 19 – 5:30-7 p.m.
- Jan. 20 – 1:30-3 p.m.
- Jan. 20 – 5:30-7 p.m.
During the Point-In-Time Count, human service professionals and volunteers across the U.S. survey people experiencing homelessness. The data is analyzed and used by communities to plan thoughtful programs and track trends over time.
Due to the ongoing COVID pandemic, there was no unsheltered survey conducted in 2021. Pierce County will resume unsheltered surveys in the upcoming count.
Last year, 983 people were sheltered in emergency shelters or transitional housing units. Most of them lived in Pierce County before experiencing homelessness, showing that it is a crisis anyone can face.