Seeking to get a snapshot of homelessness, Partnership Home calls upon the community for assistance with the upcoming Point in Time Count (PIT) set for Jan. 22. Tarrant County needs roughly 500 volunteers to hit the streets and count individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The effort helps in painting a picture of the homelessness issue and determining the resources necessary to address it.
Volunteers are asked to sign up soon, as they will be required to be available on Jan. 22 from 6 p.m. to midnight. Anyone 18 and older can help out, preferably in teams of three to five members. At least one smartphone per team is necessary to efficiently conduct the survey. All volunteers will receive mandatory training, which will be held on the evening of the count to fully prepare them for the tasks ahead.
The night of the count starts with check-in at 5:30 p.m., followed by mandatory training at 7 p.m. To facilitate the process, volunteers will be assigned to areas with team leaders, and in many cases, local law enforcement will be present for safety. Before deployment, each participant must complete a volunteer agreement and waiver. The organizers have facilitated sign-ups at three locations in Fort Worth, Arlington, and Northeast Tarrant, with addresses and details from the City of Fort Worth.
