Weekly e-Newsletter | January 25th, 2023

Volunteers Assist with Point-in-Time Count

One way to warm people up to the idea of volunteering on a morning with a freeze warning: donuts and coffee. Over 40 people met at the HSC Tuesday morning to roll out at 6 am for the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count that is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HSC and Community Bridges (CBI) coordinated to launch the group for the area between 7th Avenue and 19th Avenue, Buckeye Road to Van Buren Street. The PIT, although not perfect, is one way to measure changes in homelessness across the Valley.

Last week’s count by the HSC Street Outreach team in this area was 878 unsheltered; one year ago on this date the count was 741. This week on a morning with frost on any item left outdoors, it was challenging to identify how many people might be in one tent. Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) will compile all of the PIT data across Maricopa County over the next few months. A full report is anticipated in Spring which will outline the number of sheltered and unsheltered in the region.

Record Number of People Reunited by HSC in 2022

Our first priority for individuals arriving at the Brian Garcia Welcome Center is to attempt reconnection with family or friends. The goal is to prevent people from entering into the homeless services system if there is a viable alternative.  HSC staff contact family or friends to ensure it is a safe stable environment with a level of support that will help them to find housing and employment on their own. HSC then provides transportation, typically via a bus ticket, to the client's destination. The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) allows HSC to measure the effectiveness of the Diversion program. In 2022, 836 individuals were reunited with family or friends, a 25% increase compared to 2021. And 85% of these individuals have not returned to homelessness.

On behalf of all the families, friends, and support networks who are reconnected with loved ones every day, we thank all who contribute to make this possible!

Volunteers Needed for Project Connect on February 16

Birdies for Charity Helps End Homelessness

You can also Win a Round of Golf for Four at the Phoenician!

Want to have some fun AND help people experiencing homelessness? Simply make a pledge for every birdie made during the 2023 WM Phoenix Open February 9th -12th (or you can make a one-time donation pledge). All of the proceeds will go directly to HSC.

Thunderbirds Charities will add a 10% bonus for all of the combined pledges to HSC! Every dollar makes a difference. For example, a donation of $50 can cover the cost of a client's rental application fee. And for every $75 donation you make, we will enter you into a drawing for a free round of golf for a foursome at the Phoenician Golf Club in Scottsdale!

Take a Tour of the Human Services Campus

Seeing the Campus in person is THE best way to understand the day-to-day work done by the collective of 16 organizations working together to end homelessness. The first Wednesday of every month at 10:00 am we offer tours of the 13-acre Campus. The next tour is February 1st.

To sign up, please contact us at [email protected] or call (602) 282-0853.  

Season 2, Episode 4 of "It Happens at STN"

The December episode includes an update from Valley of the Sun United Way on their Mighty Change agenda as part of the Community Collaborative. In the Room discusses when and how to access professional help for teens, Project Greenprint talks about leaving places better than you found them, and McQuaid Mission examines the reality of affordable housing…. It’s all here in “It Happens at STN.” [Watch it Here...]

The next episode will be filmed on February 2nd!

Click Here to View All Episodes.