There’s still time to register for this year’s Homeless Point-In-Time (PIT) Count. The deadline has now been extended.

Volunteers have until Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, to register. The initial deadline was Jan. 5, 2024, but so far, only 135 people have signed up. At least 250 are needed for the annual survey.

The PIT count is a snapshot in time, an unduplicated count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. This year’s count is scheduled for Jan. 25.

Every year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires communities to count the number of people experiencing homelessness across the nation. 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.

Volunteers will engage with local homeless individuals and their families to complete a survey and help distribute care packages that will include beanies, socks, a snack and water, to people they survey.

For those interested in participating, go to 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.

Last year, a total of 2,091 homeless people were identified in the 2023 PIT Count.

The Count is organized by the Stanislaus Community System of Care (CSOC) which includes local governments, non-profits, and homeless providers. For more information about CSOC, visit www.csocstan.com.