The Santa Maria/Santa Barbara County Continuum of Care (CoC), in partnership with the County of Santa Barbara and The Santa Barbara Alliance for Community Transformation (SBACT), invite volunteers to participate in the countywide 2023 Homeless Point-In-Time Count, 5-9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25.

The Point-In-Time Count is the annual tally of individuals and families experiencing homelessness on a given day.

Teams of volunteers will canvas assigned routes throughout Santa Barbara County, and will briefly document who is experiencing homelessness. This information is used to plan local homeless assistance systems, justify funding, and raise public awareness.

All volunteers are required to attend a one-hour virtual training session, during which time they will learn more about the importance of the count, review canvassing best practices, explore the Point-In-Time survey tool, and FAQs.

To make the training as accessible as possible, the online sessions are at varied days and times from Jan. 16-20. Only one training is required.

To volunteer, sign up at https://countyofsb.pointintime.info/. The final day to sign up to volunteer is Jan. 19.

“As our community emerges from the pandemic, it is important that we have an understanding of how it has impacted our unhoused neighbors,” said Jett Black-Maertz, Housing Program Specialist, Sr. with the Santa Barbara County Community Services Department.

“The Point-in-Time Count influences everything from services offered to funding available to our area,” It is important we have an accurate count, and we cannot do that without the help of volunteers.”

The Point-In-Time count is only possible with a community-wide effort by the incredible support of many volunteers and partners.

The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program is designed to promote communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused to homeless individuals, families, and communities by homelessness; promote access to and effect utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and support self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

The County of Santa Barbara supports the Continuum of Care and the Coordinated Entry System, a no-wrong door, countywide system that engages and connects individuals and families experiencing homelessness to the optimal resources for their needs. We believe that everyone deserves a safe place to call home for good.

All are welcome; please go to https://countyofsb.pointintime.info/  and let us know you plan to participate.