Photo: Staff from Catholic Social Services and Nation’s Finest are filling their truck with sleeping bags, blankets, and warm clothes to be distributed to those in need over the next week or so
Left to right: Danielle Moore, Kimberly Brown, Pauline Jackson, of CSS, and Evelyn of Nation’s Finest
United Way of Yavapai County is doing what they do best: bringing our community together to help those in need. As the temperatures drop, the need for those in crisis goes up.
“That’s why we are here- to identify the unmet needs in our community, and, through the power of collective impact, meet those needs” states Cheryl Phipps, Board President for United Way of Yavapai County.
This is the 2nd year United Way of Yavapai County has collected warm clothes and sleeping bags in the winter. They collected 4 times as many items as last year. Executive Director of United Way, Dave Seigler credits this increase to living the vision –“Live United”. Dozens of local businesses helped by being early collection sites, such as Matt’s Saloon, Raskins Jewelers, Palace Restaurant and Saloon, YMCA, National Bank of Arizona, and the town of Chino Valley, Prescott United Methodist Church, City of Cottonwood, Stone Ridge, and others. These early collection sites helped this 1-day event last several weeks; it gives businesses and donors an opportunity to make a difference without breaking their bank.
Homelessness is surging in our region, and United Way is here to help. Local agencies who help homeless people are about to begin an annual count of those in our area who are without stable shelter. United Way of Yavapai County is supporting Catholic Social services, and local veterans’ groups are leading the effort to determine how many people are in crisis, and how we can best respond. Each of these agencies counting homeless people also bring out supplies that may be the difference between life and death -sleeping bags, hygiene kits, warm jackets and hats, etc.
Because of our generous donors in Yavapai County, just over 2000 children, seniors and families will be a little warmer this winter.
