Island County is seeking volunteers to help gather the most comprehensive homeless count to date.

“We’re expanding the method significantly this year,” said Joanne Pelant, Island County’s housing resource coordinator.

Volunteers will be part of the annual point-in-time count of the homeless Thursday, Jan. 29, as part of outreach teams that will connect with the unsheltered homeless. Pelant said she hopes to have at least 20 volunteers to assist in the event.

Last year’s count showed that the county had roughly 90 people categorized as unsheltered, with 10 sheltered and another 150 that were staying with family or friends temporarily.

Federally mandated in 2005, the county has performed the count since 2006 through the Opportunity Council and through Island County as of last year.

Pelant said the way they count the homeless has been a process of trial and error.

“We were never really satisfied,” Pelant said. “We knew we probably had more. We weren’t real confident within the numbers.”

Lisa Clark, with the Opportunity Council, said that they saw a jump in the numbers about three years ago but attributed that to the end of a rapid rehousing program in 2011 and an influx of new faces on the island.

Pelant said she anticipates a similar jump in numbers because the count aims to capture more of the homeless population than before.

This year, the county will be divided into four regions: Camano Island and North, Central and South Whidbey Island. Teams will go out with a lead who will coordinate each count.

Along with three homeless-centered open houses, the survey will include an expanded definition of homelessness to include additional people who are  “doubling up” or living with friends or family. This year’s count will also include a youth initiative, which will send volunteers to count the younger homeless in places they hang out.

The landscape of homelessness is very different in each region and age group. For instance, Pelant said, the homeless in more rural areas appear to be staying in abandoned structures in wooded areas, whereas the homeless closer to cities are living in tents, cars or with others.

In order to prevent double counting, names will be entered into the federal Homeless Management Information System and eventually end up in a congressional report, Pelant said.

Homeless-related funding issued to states and counties is based on the counts.

The other function of the count and the open houses is to connect people with the services they need, Pelant said.

“We want to let people know what’s out there,” Pelant said.

“It’s really about connecting and making everybody count,” said Jackie Henderson, the county’s human services director. “We want to hear their stories and know the issues they are dealing with.”

Anyone interested in volunteering can contact Pelant at 360-678-7962.

The homeless count community events — open to all homeless, potentially homeless or people interested in helping the homeless community — will be held Thursday, Jan. 29 at the following times and locations:

n 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Spin Cafe, 658 SE Bayshore Drive in Oak Harbor. Hot food, clothes, massage, haircuts, shoe vouchers, hygiene kits and veteran services will be available.

n 1-6 p.m. at Bayview Hall, Bayview and State Highway 20. Hot meals and beverages, snacks, clothing, shoes, hygiene kits and veterans resources will be available.

n 2-6 p.m. at Camano Chapel, East Hall Room, 867 S. West Camano Drive. Meals and hygiene kits will be available.