2025 Point-In-Time Count

Marion & Polk Counties. If you have any questions, please use “PIT Count” in the subject line and email them to: staff@mwvhomelessalliance.org.

Purpose of the PIT Count:

The purpose of the Point-in-Time (PIT Count) is to obtain a snapshot census of people experiencing homelessness in Marion and Polk Counties on one night in January.

The count includes people who, on the night of the count, are:

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Sheltered

Living in emergency shelters or transitional housing

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Unsheltered

Staying outdoors or places not designed for habitation which includes vehicles, streets, parks, encampments and abandoned vehicles.

The information gathered from the PIT Count will allow us to know how many people are experiencing homelessness in our community. This count is an opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges and struggles that persons experiencing homelessness face.

When:

We will be asking people “Where did you sleep the night of Wednesday, January 22?” The count will start on January 23rd and end on January 29th.

There are Many Ways to Help:

We need help from many service providers and community volunteers across Marion and Polk Counties to conduct the PIT Count! Volunteers will have conversations and do surveys with people experiencing homelessness. We will conduct surveys in the following ways:

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Outreach

Volunteers in teams will go out into the community to walk the streets and parks. They will have supplies to give away and will conduct surveys as they talk with people experiencing homelessness.

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Events

Folks experiencing homelessness are invited in to day centers, meal sites, resource centers, and food banks. Volunteers in teams will support efforts at these events and be available to conduct PIT Count interviews.

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Service Provider Caseload Surveys

During the week of the Count, service providers are encouraged to check in with individuals and families they are working with who are experiencing homelessness and invite them to do a PIT Count survey.

Register As a Surveyor

Register to help with the PIT Count! You will be able to select where in our counties you’d like to volunteer and also dates/times (1/23-29) that work for you. Most outreach shifts are 4 hours. You can sign up for as many or as few opportunities as you’d like. We will match volunteers with needs.

After registration, you will receive a confirmation email and directions to set a password to your account.

Register Here