Long Beach seeking 250 volunteers for 2023 Homeless Point in Time Count

The Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services is looking to recruit 250 community volunteers to help carry out the 2023 Homeless Point in Time (PIT) Count, taking place on Jan. 26, 2023. 

The PIT Count is an annual community effort by residents to provide a street count of people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach. The Count serves to define available resources to address homelessness and identify gaps within the City’s plans to help better serve unhoused individuals. 

The 2022 Point in Time Count located 3,296 people who were experiencing homelessness in Long Beach. Last year’s count found a 22% increase in people living in encampments or on the street and a 380% increase in people living in their cars compared to January 2020.   

“I encourage everyone to volunteer for the Homeless Point in Time Count and be part of the solution to ending homelessness in Long Beach,” said Mayor Robert Garcia in a statement from the City. “The Count is an important tool in allowing the City to better serve people experiencing homelessness.”

Qualifications to volunteer for the PIT Count include:

• Be 18 years or older.
• Attend a two-hour orientation and training prior to the day of the Count. 
• Commit to a four-hour canvassing shift on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. Volunteers will be expected to report at 4:30 a.m. and be dispatched to the field by 5 a.m. 

Before participating in the PIT Count, all volunteers must attend an orientation session, regardless of prior participation in the Count. These trainings will provide insight on best practices to engage people experiencing homelessness, how to administer the Count and the logistics of the Count itself.

Orientations will be hosted on the following days and times:

• Tuesday, Jan. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. via Zoom
• Thursday, Jan. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Long Beach Multi-Service Center (1301 W. 12th St.)
• Wednesday, Jan. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Long Beach Multi-Service Center
• Thursday, Jan. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. via Zoom

In addition to volunteering, community members are encouraged to donate socks, travel-size hygiene products, bottled water and gift cards of $5 to $10 which will be distributed during the count. These items can be dropped off at the Long Beach Multi-Service Center, located at 1301 W 12th St. between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

People may also donate online at Mayor’s Fund to End Homelessness and type “Homeless Count – Mayor’s Fund” in the Additional Comments box or make a donation by check to the Long Beach Community Foundation located at 400 Oceangate, Suite 800. Donations will be used for gift cards and other incentives for individuals being surveyed during the count. 

To register for the PIT Count, volunteers can go online to tinyurl.com/2023lbhc. If over 250 people register to volunteer for the count, a waitlist will be created.

To learn more about the Long Beach Homeless Count and ways to donate, visit the longbeach.gov/HomelessCount, email HomelessCount@longbeach.gov or call the Multi-Service Center at 562.570.4499.