Volunteers needed for Philly’s annual homeless count

This story originally appeared in The Philadelphia Tribune.

Volunteers are needed for the city’s Office of Homeless Services’ annual count and survey of Philadelphians who are currently experiencing homelessness. To prepare for the surveying, volunteers will undergo virtual training sessions in early January to prepare for the count.

The annual overnight Point in Time, or PIT count, will commence on Jan. 22.

Volunteers will canvas the city in assigned zones to engage, count and survey people experiencing homelessness. The data will help city, state and federal statistics under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“The PIT Count takes place in communities across the country — not just Philadelphia,” said OHS Executive Director Cheryl Hill in a press statement. “Each community shares the data it collects during its overnight count with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This helps HUD identify homelessness trends, gaps, and needs throughout local communities and the nation, as well as determine which approaches to ending and preventing homelessness work best.”

The city’s press statement cited the work, with help from volunteers, will help inform government offices better understand where, how long and what limitations are set toward preventing people from accessing shelter.

“It is important that we have a diverse pool of volunteers, including those with lived experience, youth and young adults, to survey and count throughout the entire city,” said Beth Gonzales, OHS deputy of policy, planning and performance. “We will need as many as 400 people to sign up and join us as a team lead, youth and young adult guide, counter or event logistics volunteer.”

Gonzales explained training sessions contribute to a successful count.

“We provide training, so volunteers are prepared to execute their roles, get to know their teams and review the zones,” she said. “Counters, for instance, receive training about the survey-taking process, including how to ask the people they encounter on the street to voluntarily participate in a short survey, and how to record the responses in the PIT data portal OHS created and debuted at the 2024 PIT count.”

PIT count volunteers will also gather data on race, gender, disability, veteran status, age and the needs of Philadelphians without shelter.

On Jan. 22 at 10 p.m., a kick-off ceremony at the Pennsylvania Convention Center will take place featuring light refreshments, a DJ and speakers to motivate volunteers as they check in and reach out to the city for their public service.

Interested participants can sign up online by the deadline of Jan. 6.