70+ Volunteers Help Escondido Count Homeless Population

When most people were still asleep on January 29, over 70 volunteers in Escondido hit the streets at 4 a.m. with a simple mission: make sure every homeless neighbor gets counted and connected to help.

The Point-in-Time Count happens once a year and does more than just tally numbers. It unlocks federal funding from the Housing and Urban Development department that keeps shelters open and programs running across the county.

Interfaith Community Services organized the effort alongside the Regional Task Force on Homelessness. Volunteers split into teams of three or more, each armed with maps highlighting different parts of the city and bags filled with socks, 7-11 gift cards, and emergency Narcan kits.

The four-hour window between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. stays consistent every year to keep the data reliable. Teams drove to known encampments and walked to spots where people sleep, asking demographic questions and listening to personal stories when people felt comfortable sharing.

Not everyone wanted to talk, and that was okay. If volunteers spotted someone sleeping in a tent or vehicle who declined the survey, they could still record that a person was there without gathering details.

The surveys do something powerful beyond the numbers. They let people experiencing homelessness share why they're in this situation, whether it's health issues, domestic violence, financial crisis, or something else entirely.

The Ripple Effect

This single morning of work creates waves that last all year. The data helps organizations like Interfaith figure out exactly what their community needs most, whether that's more mental health services, domestic violence support, or job training programs.

Federal funding decisions hang on these counts. More accurate numbers mean more resources flowing to the people and programs that can actually move families from streets to stability.

The volunteers themselves become part of the solution too. Many people have never spoken directly with someone experiencing homelessness, and these conversations build understanding and compassion that ripple through the whole community.

Results will be verified and published in the coming months, giving Escondido and other cities a clear picture of where to focus their efforts. Until then, the work continues at places like Interfaith Community Services, powered by people who believe everyone deserves to be counted and cared for.