Volunteers still are needed for the Stanislaus County’s Point-in-Time Count — a one-day, unduplicated count of sheltered and unsheltered individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Volunteers are needed to conduct surveys and hand out comfort kits. Those interested in helping must register by Jan. 18.

The PIT count will take place on Jan. 29, beginning shortly after 8 a.m.

Volunteers must be at least 18 years old, they must have a smart phone, and they must watch an instructional video in order to participate (the video does not have to be viewed before registration). Volunteers are needed in Turlock, Ceres, Hughson, Modesto, Newman, Oakdale, Patterson, Riverbank, Waterford, and unincorporated areas.

Last year, 232 volunteers were registered, down from 361 the year before.

“We have close to 200 signed up right now,” said Maryn Pitt, board chair of the Stanislaus Community System of Care, which oversees the PIT count. “But we’d like to have 300 or more to make it more efficient.”

Pitt said this year’s count is not required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“HUD only requires that we do it every other year,” said Pitt. “But the gold standard is to conduct a count every year.”

Knowing the number and nature of the people who are experiencing homelessness within communities helps identify the scope of the problem and better understand the causes, according to the website. The data helps design more effective policies and programs and measure progress toward reducing homelessness.

Countywide, the numbers have remained virtually the same for the past three years — 2,086 in 2025, 2,052 in 2024, 2,091 in 2023. During the pandemic, 2020 was about on par with recent trends (2,107), but the number ballooned to 2,927 in 2021 — a record high since homeless service providers began conducting the survey in 2005. That figure fell by more than 1,000 (1,857) the following year.

In the city of Turlock, 241 homeless persons were counted last year, a jump from 201 from 2024. That was down from 233 in 2023, which was up from 211 in the previous count.

For a third consecutive year, the number of sheltered homeless persons was greater than the number of unsheltered.

“We consider that to be a meaningful trend,” said Pitt. “That’s something we want to stay on top of, and counting annually will help us do that.”

In 2022, the number of unsheltered homeless persons was greater by a slim margin, 946-911. Last year, there were 1,136 sheltered homeless persons to 980 unsheltered.

For more information about becoming a volunteer, visit csocstan.com, email csoc@stancounty.com, or call 209-558-2961.