Weber, Davis, Cache, Box Elder seek volunteers for homeless Point-In-Time Count
Editor’s note: This story was updated after a previous version incorrectly listed the hours of the Weber County Point-In-Time Count. We regret the error.
The 2017 Point-In-Time Count will be held later this month, and Northern Utah counties are looking for volunteers to help with the annual survey of homeless individuals.
This year’s PIT Count is planned for Jan. 26-28. The results of this survey will help human-service providers in offering housing and other basic services to the homeless.
Want to help? Here’s a county-by-county breakdown of how to volunteer for the Point-In-Time Count. (Morgan County does not conduct a PIT Count.)
WEBER COUNTY
In Weber County, volunteers will help canvas the county to identify those in the community “living in places not meant for human habitation,” according to Andi Beadles, executive director of Weber Housing Authority. The count will run from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26-28.
Volunteers for the PIT Count must attend a one-hour training session at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at Weber Human Services, 237 26th St., Ogden. Volunteers will then meet at 3:45 a.m. that Thursday, Friday and Saturday at YCC Family Crisis Center, 2261 Adams Ave., Ogden.
Refreshments will be provided for the training. Snacks, warm drinks and a hot breakfast will be offered to volunteers on the days of the count.
Those interested in helping on any or all of those days are invited to sign up at one of the following websites:
— Weber County Point in Time Count Volunteer Sign-Up form
— The Weber County Point-in-Time Facebook page
— The Just Serve volunteering resource site
For more information on the Weber County count, email CABHI@weberhs.org or call 801-399-8691.
DAVIS COUNTY
Safe Harbor, in Davis County, is the community partner hosting this year’s PIT Count, according to Kim Michaud, deputy director of the Davis Community Housing Authority.
Volunteers must attend a two-hour training session at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25; dinner will be provided. The count will be held from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. Jan. 26-28. Breakfast will be served after the count. Volunteers can sign up for one, two or all three days.
Michaud said that based on the numbers her organization is serving right now, she would expect the homeless population to be on the rise in the county.
To sign up as a volunteer, email Heidi@SafeHarborHope.org. Volunteers will be provided with the meeting location.
For more information, call 801-682-0227.
CACHE COUNTY
The Bear River Area Point-In-Time Count will run 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Jan. 26, 27 and 28; a mandatory one-hour training session begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24. Volunteer headquarters are at the Bear River Association of Governments building, 170 N. Main, Logan.
Snacks and hot drinks will be provided at all volunteer shifts.
Stefanie Jones, the homeless coordinator for the Bear River Association of Governments, says they’ve been conducting the count for more than a decade. Although there’s not a large homeless population in Cache County — especially in the winter — Jones says they found two people living in a car last year, one homeless person the year before, and four individuals the year before that.
Still, Jones said they need about 50 volunteers to cover the county.
“The more volunteers the better,” she said. “Even if we don’t find many people, it educates our volunteers to what the homeless are up against.”
To sign up for the Cache County count, visit the Bear River Homeless Point in Time Count 2017 signup form
For volunteer information, call 435-752-7242.
BOX ELDER COUNTY
In Box Elder County, they’re looking for about 25 volunteers to help with the three-day PIT Count. Volunteers must attend one of two training sessions, and are asked to help all three days of the count, if possible.
A one-hour volunteer training session is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, at the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Utah, 641 E. 200 North, Brigham City. A training session will also be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Garland/Tremonton Rural Community Resource Center, 1386 S. Main St., Garland.
The count will take place from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. Jan. 26-28.
To sign up for the Box Elder County count, register for the Logan count at the Bear River Homeless Point in Time Count 2017 sign up form https://goo.gl/U4Ukgx, then simply attend the training and count in Box Elder County.
For more information on the Box Elder count, call 435-723-6224.
Contact Mark Saal at 801-625-4272, or msaal@standard.net. Follow him on Twitter at @Saalman. Like him on Facebook at facebook.com/SEMarkSaal.
