Throughout the last 10 days of January every other year, community organizations and volunteers gather to create a "snapshot" of homelessness on one night within their communities. Doing so, they are able to assist in measuring and monitoring trends and changes in homelessness on local and national levels, helping communities understand what resources they need and strategize the best ways to use them to help end homelessness. Without the hard work of these volunteers, this would not be possible.
Luckily for UWSMI's Kalamazoo Continuum of Care, there are volunteers like Willa DiTaranto, Deputy Director of the Kalamazoo County Government Housing Department. With her knowledge and assistance, she was one of the many volunteers that helped Kalamazoo's 2026 PIT Count gather the further information it needs to continue finding resources and solutions for homelessness. We caught up with Willa for a Q&A of this experience.
Q: Have you ever participated in the PIT Count before?
A: Yes! This is my second year participating in the PIT in Kalamazoo County.
Q: If so, what year is this for you?
A: Second year in Kalamazoo, but I participated before when I lived and worked in Philadelphia years ago.
Q: What makes the PIT count so important to this community?
A: The PIT Count is important because it gives our community a clearer picture of what unsheltered homelessness actually looks like in Kalamazoo. In recent years, we haven’t necessarily seen the large encampments that existed in the past, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t still living outside. In many cases, individuals and families are more dispersed and less visible, which makes it even more important to intentionally go out and understand how people are surviving outdoors.
The PIT Count allows us to hear directly from people experiencing unsheltered homelessness about the conditions they are living in and the barriers they face when trying to access shelter or maintain permanent housing. That firsthand information is critical. It helps local leaders and service providers identify gaps in the system, better understand changing trends in homelessness, and make more informed decisions about how to prioritize funding and adjust services to better meet the needs of our community.
Q: Why do you participate in the PIT Count?
A: I participate because it’s an opportunity to engage directly with people who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness and hear about their experiences firsthand. In my role working on housing policy and programs, a lot of decisions are made using data, reports, and system-level information. Being out in the community during the PIT Count helps ground that work in real conversations with people about what they are going through and what barriers they are facing.
It’s also a reminder that behind every number in our system is a real person with a story. Participating in the count helps ensure that the policies and investments we make are informed by what people are actually experiencing on the ground, not just what we assume is happening.
Q: What advice would you give to someone looking to participate next year?
A: Come in with an open mind. The PIT Count is an opportunity to meet people where they are and hear about their experiences without judgment. Remember that we’re all just people, regardless of the circumstances we’re in at any given time. If you approach the night with curiosity, respect, and a willingness to listen, you’ll likely leave with a deeper understanding of homelessness in our community and maybe even a shifted perspective. Also, DRESS WARMLY!
Q: After participating this year, what are some takeaways you gathered?
A: It reinforced how complex the barriers to shelter and housing can be. For some people it's about limited availability, but for others it's about safety concerns, previous experiences in shelter, health needs, or other challenges that make accessing services difficult. We have made some real progress in the past couple of years to provide additional resources for folks facing housing instability and homelessness, but we still have a long way to go as a community to ensure everyone is able to access safe, dignified, and affordable housing.
