Help wanted for homeless population count in Fresno, Madera counties. How to volunteer
The last time anyone tried to take a comprehensive count of the homeless population in Fresno and Madera counties was two years ago — a span that has left a gap in the practical understanding of how many people are living on the streets or other outdoor areas, and why.
Now the Fresno-Madera Continuum of Care — the organization tasked by the federal Department of Housing & Urban Development to coordinate homeless services in the two counties — is gearing up for its 2025 Point in Time count on Jan. 28-30, and is seeking volunteers to ensure its count is as complete as possible.
Federal guidelines require that local Continuum of Care organizations conduct a Point in Time count at least every other year.
“To adequately assist homeless persons to make the critical transition from homelessness to independent or supportive permanent housing the FMCoC must understand the region’s homeless population,” the organization states on its website.
Volunteers will canvass homeless shelters in Fresno and Madera counties, and also fan out to streets, parks, canal banks and wherever else unsheltered people and families may be found.
“Your participation in this data collection is important because it assists us in understanding the extent of homelessness and changes among this population, measuring local performance and progress toward ending homelessness (and) planning future services,” the agency states in a note to would-be volunteers.
To participate in the effort, volunteers need to register online and attend a mandatory training session:
- In Fresno County: The site to register for the Fresno County PIT count is bit.ly/fresnopit2025; available training sessions are from 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 22, 6 to 8 p.m. Jan 22, or 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 25, all at the Nielsen Center at 3110 W. Nielsen Ave. in Fresno.
- In Madera County: Online registration is at bit.ly/maderapit2025; training is from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Community Action Partnership of Madera County (CAPMC) conference room at 675 S. Pine St. in Madera.
The count will be from 5 p.m. to midnight on Jan. 28, headquartered in Fresno at the Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health’s Wellness Center at 1925 E. Dakota Ave., and in Madera at the CAPMC Conference room.
Two days of surveys to gather more detailed information from homeless people will follow in each county: from 5 p.m. to midnight Jan 29 and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 30 in Fresno County, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both Jan. 29 and 30 in Madera County.
The 2023 PIT counted a total of almost 4,500 homeless people across Fresno and Madera counties, both in shelters and on the streets:
- Fresno city: 1,819 unsheltered, 1,388 in shelters, total 3,207 people.
- Rest of Fresno County: 594 unsheltered, 11 in shelters, total 605 people.
- Madera city: 205 unsheltered, 336 in shelters, total 541 people.
- Rest of Madera County: 140 unsheltered, 0 in shelters, total 140 people.
The 2025 PIT comes after both the city of Fresno and Fresno County passed ordinances cracking down on homeless camping on sidewalks, parks and other public and private property. Both agencies’ ordinances include penalties for those who disobey orders to move or refuse to accept offers of shelter or services for substance abuse or mental health issues. Those penalties include possible arrest, fines and jail time.
