The Homeless Continuum of Care Corner

Arizona’s Balance of State Continuum of Care (AZBOSCOC), administered by Arizona Department of Housing, is gearing up for the annual Point in Time (PIT) count at the end of January 2019. Each year, HUD requires every Continuum of Care across the nation to conduct an annual count in their geographic area of homeless individuals and families who are unsheltered. This count is combined with data provided by shelters to ultimately provide a snapshot of people experiencing homelessness in our communities within a specific time period. From January 22-27, over 200 volunteers from homeless provider agencies, governmental organizations, local colleges, faith based groups, veterans’ service providers and local community members across the State will traverse the wide expanse of the 13 counties that are covered by the AZBOSCOC to find unsheltered homeless individuals. They will comb the streets and alleys, hike the forests, drive the back roads, and visit food banks and hospitals to conduct interviews.  The information gathered is used by local, state and federal programs to allocate resources and better understand the needs of our communities’ vulnerable homeless populations.

This year’s Point in Time count is just a few weeks away and each County depends on citizens such as yourself in conducting their local counts. There is still time to get involved through a short-term volunteer commitment or by providing donations in-kind. As part of the process, volunteers provide the people they encounter and interview with comfort items such as clean socks, meal gift cards, batteries, hats and scarves, food, hygiene supplies and other necessary supplies that have been donated by the community.

Arizona Department of Housing coordinates the Point in Time (PIT) count for the Arizona Balance of State Continuum of Care (AZBoSCoC) which includes the 13 counties listed in the table below. To learn more about volunteer opportunities and in-kind donation needs, contact the Lead person/s in each County.

We hope you join us in increasing awareness of homeless populations in your community so that we can collectively improve services to end their homelessness.

If you are interested in volunteering in Maricopa or Pima County, please contact the organizations below for more information about dates and times:

Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care Point-In-Time Count
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019 | 5:30AM to 12:00PM
Coordinated by the Maricopa Association of Governments
Contact community coordinator in your area

Tucson/Pima County Continuum of Care Point-in-Time Count
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019
Coordinated by the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness
Complete the volunteer application