Community volunteers across Pershing County and rural Nevada are being asked to participate in the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count, a one-night effort that helps determine funding and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
The count will take place Thursday evening, Jan. 29, through Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, and is coordinated locally by the Rural Nevada Continuum of Care (RNCoC). The PIT Count is conducted simultaneously nationwide and is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Each year, the PIT Count provides a snapshot of both sheltered and unsheltered homelessness on a single night. While homelessness in rural areas is often less visible than in urban centers, organizers say it is frequently more difficult to measure because individuals and families may be spread across large geographic areas, living in vehicles, remote locations, or temporarily doubled up.
“This data directly influences how much funding and support rural communities receive,” a recent press release said. “An incomplete count can mean fewer resources for housing, services, and outreach.”
Volunteers play a critical role in the effort. Working in coordinated teams, they may visit shelters, outdoor locations, encampments, and other areas where people are known to stay. All volunteers receive training on survey procedures, safety protocols, and respectful engagement, and counts are conducted alongside outreach workers and individuals with lived experience to help ensure accuracy and trust.
Information collected during the PIT Count helps communities identify trends, understand geographic areas of need, and assess the scope of homelessness among specific populations, including families, veterans, youth, and survivors of domestic violence. The results are used to guide local planning and strengthen applications for state and federal funding.
Individuals, nonprofits, businesses, faith groups, students, and community organizations are encouraged to participate. Those interested can sign up through the 2026 PIT Count volunteer interest form, which helps coordinators schedule training, assign locations, and communicate logistics ahead of the count.
For more information or to volunteer, visit ruralnevadacoc.org/PIT-2026 or email [email protected].
Organizers emphasized that community participation makes a measurable difference.
“Every person counts,” the release stated. “And every accurate count helps ensure rural Nevada receives the resources needed to support people experiencing homelessness.”
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