San Joaquin County is preparing a series of events to reach out to one of its most underserved populations. So far, Tracy isn’t jumping on the bandwagon.

At issue is the soon-to-be annual homeless count, an event mandated by Congress to create a snapshot of homeless populations across the country. The 2007 event falls on the last week of January. And in addition to finding out who and how many are without shelter, the county wants to get resources into the hands of the needy.

Under tentative plans, according to Jon Moore, chief deputy of the county Community Development Department, large cities within the county would play host to “Homeless Connection” events. Instead of having volunteers (including me) roam the streets counting homeless individuals in the dead of night like in 2005, the idea is to invite homeless singles and families to events where they can get a blanket, food, toiletries and information about local organizations that help the homeless.

Mental health operations, shelters, food kitchens, supportive housing outfits and the cities of Lodi, Manteca and Stockton are jumping on board. Tracy, however, hasn’t.

A major reason is that some of the service providers within Tracy’s continuum of care don’t see the need.

Darlene Quinn, director of Tracy Interfaith Ministries, says that Tracy’s main at-need population is families struggling to make it to the next paycheck. There are likely fewer than 50 truly homeless people in Tracy, Quinn says.

“We don’t have a lot of homeless in Tracy, but we certainly do have some,” Quinn told me, adding that Tracy Interfaith has records of the people that use its services, including homeless individuals. “… Almost every homeless person in Tracy comes here for food or clothes or something.”

Even though those computer records cannot be used to help satisfy Congress’ point-in-time count requirement, Moore said there are other ways to conduct the count, including setting up surveyors at places where the homeless might congregate. This option seems an increasingly likely prospect, because according to some of Tracy’s service providers, there’s no real need for outreach.

Quinn told me that the city’s resident homeless generally know where to get services. Judith Odegaard, executive director of the McHenry House Family Shelter, and Armenia Ereira, a McHenry House case manager, agreed that many in the homeless community are aware of what is available to them. Both organizations give out information to those who contact them, linking the needy with agencies that can provide more services, the exact goal of the Homeless Connection events.

So, having such an event in Tracy would be pointless, right

Not necessarily. Odegaard and Ereira say McHenry House turns away between 35 and 40 families a month because there simply aren’t enough beds. And Larch Clover Community Center director Dottie Smith says that people constantly ask her where they can find services.

“The people in Tracy better start opening up their eyes and looking around,” she told me. “I can’t give you accurate numbers, but there are more than just a couple of people who are homeless in this city.”

Indeed, there’s a significant population — including families — that would likely find a homeless exposition helpful. It’s difficult to imagine that the people taking advantage of the noble services of Tracy Interfaith and Larch Clover Community Center would not also drop by an event offering free food, blankets and a chance to connect with a countywide web of services. I find it even harder to believe that the homeless — a population that lives on the margins of society — are well-informed as a collective about the opportunities that San Joaquin County presents.

And the opportunities are impressive.

The county is filled with organizations that provide food (Tracy Interfaith), shelter (McHenry House), permanent housing (CVLIHC) and health services (Department of Mental Health). The Tracy community should jump at this opportunity to connect with its underserved population.

Even with the count two months away, Moore says there is still the outside possibility that a Homeless Connection event could be hosted in Tracy. But swift action must be taken.

A good first step would be for local officials to attend the county’s planning sessions — no Tracy representatives were at the Nov. 17 meeting. After that, it would be a matter of steps to secure a central location for the event and to get local shareholders on board. With many countywide organizations already committing to events in Lodi, Manteca and Stockton, some level of buy-in is virtually guaranteed.

Those helping the homeless and needy in Tracy do a wonderful job answering a challenging call. But we can do more. The proposed Homeless Connection is an opportunity to go beyond what is required and to reach out to one of society’s most underserved populations.

We shouldn’t be eager to pass up this chance.

Jon Mendelson is a copy editor at the Tracy Press. To contact him about his weekly column, call 830-4265 or e-mail jmendelson@tracypress.com.