Everybody Counts Charlotte: Volunteers and Donations Needed for 'Point in Time’ Count

Volunteers conducting the Point-in-Time Count

November is Homelessness Awareness Month and preparations are underway for the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. In the early morning hours of Jan. 23, 2025, volunteers will span out across Charlotte-Mecklenburg streets, shelters, and encampments to identify individuals who are living without homes. Mecklenburg County is now seeking those volunteers to help ensure everybody counts.

The Point-in-Time Count, coordinated nationally by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is conducted each year across the United States to gather data on homelessness. It takes place on a single night in January each year and provides a snapshot of homelessness. The key objectives of the PIT Count are to estimate the number of people experiencing homelessness and to understand their demographic characteristics and living situations. Another goal of finding unsheltered homeless individuals and families is to connect them to available resources.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Continuum of Care coordinates these efforts locally. Mecklenburg County Community Support Services’ Housing Innovation and Stabilization Services Division and the Hearts for the Invisible Coalition Charlotte have partnered to lead the 2025 Point-in-Time Count. Residents can help by offering time, donating items, and raising awareness. 

  • Volunteer Your Time: On Jan. 23, 2025, volunteers are needed to complete surveys with people experiencing homelessness. Prospective volunteers can learn more at one of two information sessions and sign up to volunteer.
     
  • Donate Supplies: Support the 2025 Point-in-Time Count by donating essential items for people sleeping outside in our community. Check out the Amazon Wishlist for the most needed items, or make a financial contribution to provide these supplies and a warm breakfast for our neighbors on the morning of the PIT. You can also make a financial contribution to Hearts for Invisible Coalition, the lead outreach organization in our community. 
     
  • Spread the Word: Use your voice to raise awareness and share this information with friends, family, and networks via social media using the #EverybodyCountsCLT hashtag. Stay informed and participate in community activities outlined on the 2025 PIT Activities Calendar. This year’s calendar will be available mid-December at the Point-in-Time Count page on the Housing and Homelessness Dashboard.

During last year’s Point-in-Time Count, 2,095 people were counted, including 193 families, 77 youth (18-24), and 384 people sleeping outside. 

Counting is crucial for understanding and addressing the scope of homelessness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. Since 2020, unsheltered homelessness has risen by 30%, indicating the need for accurate, comprehensive data, and responsive action. When combined with the One Number (the total number of actively homeless individuals in the community) and community data on system performance the PIT Count provides Charlotte-Mecklenburg a way to look at progress in the work to end and prevent homelessness. 

To learn more about the state of housing in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, visit the Housing and Homelessness Dashboard.