Shelter. Support. Change Lives.

Founded in 1984, Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) is Arizona’s largest and longest serving emergency shelter provider, annually serving thousands of adults and families with shelter, case management, and a full array of housing services (including eviction prevention, rapid rehousing and financial assistance).

The CASS adult shelter on the Human Services Campus currently has 470 beds and will expand to 600 beds by the end of summer 2021. CASS also operates a 30-apartment family shelter in North Phoenix, providing shelter and a five-star rated childcare program, and the Norton and Ramsey Social Justice Empowerment Center in Glendale, a collaborative hub for homeless, housing, and related service providers.

In response to COVID-19, CASS opened Project Haven hotel in June 2020 with 87 beds for senior citizens and medically vulnerable persons. More than 200 persons have already been served, with 90 clients thus far returning to housing or family. Funded via Phoenix CARES Act funding, it will remain open through September. CASS intends to replicate this senior-focused shelter model at a permanent facility by 2022.

Last fiscal year, CASS served 5,629 unduplicated individuals and housed 746 directly through our housing programs.  All program staff are trained in crisis management, trauma-informed care, and to meet the needs of a diverse range of clients, including adults, youth, families, veterans, senior citizens, people with mental health challenges, with disabling conditions, the LGBTQ community, and more. Learn more at www.cassaz.org.

Thanks to the City of Phoenix, a temporary shade structure was installed on the Campus lawn May 25th. The structure covers tables and chairs with a mister system and evaporative coolers. This area will provide much needed heat relief through September. Clients immediately started to use the area as respite from the 90+ degree temperature and thanked HSC staff and the City of Phoenix for giving them an opportunity to stay cool this summer.

Can you imagine being in so much dental pain that you take a drill to your own mouth? This is just one of many emotional stories happening inside one very special dental center. Dr. Kris Volcheck, CEO & Founder of Brighter Way Institute, joins us live in studio to share the incredible efforts underway to help those experiencing homelessness. Plus, ASU Action Nexus Director Shana Ellis tells how the Action Nexus is bringing power players to the table with the “Regional Collaborative on Homelessness.”

Amy Schwabenlender answers a question from Nataly Rodriguez, founder of FitSoul and STN contributor in the Leader to Leader segment and describes how “functional zero” is the goal in ending homelessness in the latest edition of McQuaid Mission Mythbusters.

Episode 11 will be airing on Monday, June 7th! Click Here to View All Episodes.