As a certified mechanic, drywall hanger and painter, 58-year-old Ken can fix or build just about anything. But a difficult season left him financially stretched and eventually homeless.
Desperate to put a roof over his head, Ken wound up at A New Leaf’s Men's Shelter, where staff worked with him to set goals. Ken found employment that allowed him to buy a bike and save money for an apartment.
“I’m an optimist, and I know how much A New Leaf can help me and others if we work hard,” Ken said.
The nonprofit, which provides shelter and support services to single men, is just one of several nonprofit agencies supported by the city of Scottsdale.
The Scottsdale City Council recently approved more than $1.9 million for nonprofit agencies that provide programs and services to assist thousands of people like Ken who are at risk and in need.
And the need is critical. In Ken’s case, single men make up the largest homeless population in Arizona and struggle the most to find assistance.
Some funding for A New Leaf comes from the city’s General Fund. General funds are revenues that accrue from taxes, fees, interest earnings and various other sources which can be used for the general operation of city government. In addition to A New Leaf, the General Fund allocated funds to four other nonprofits for Fiscal Year 2022/23, which ends in June 2023:
The General Fund supports five nonprofits for $198,522:
- A New Leaf -- $28,000: Emergency shelter for single men
- Area Agency on Aging -- $13,560: North Scottsdale home-delivered meals
- Duet: Partners in Aging and Health -- $8,440: Promote aging in place
- Fresh Start Women’s Center -- $2,522: Women’s self-sufficiency program
- Tempe Community Action Agency -- $146,000: Home-delivered meals for elderly Scottsdale residents
The city’s Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC) grant funding provided $125,000 to nine agencies that provide food and shelter services:
- Catholic Charities -- $28,000
- Central Arizona Shelter Services, Inc. -- $13,580
- Chrysalis Shelter for Victims of Domestic Violence -- $3,396
- Duet Partners in Aging and Health -- $9,060
- Family Promise -- $21,279
- Jewish Family Children’s Services -- $17,500
- Phoenix Rescue Mission -- $10,170
- Scottsdale Community Partners -- $8,475
- St. Joseph the Worker -- $13,570
Scottsdale Cares-funded agencies ($150,000):
- Area Agency on Aging -- $10,500: Home-delivered meals
- Best Buddies -- $2,500: Scottsdale Inclusion Project
- Bloom 365 -- $ 4,811: Lead peer advocates to help reduce teen dating violence
- Community Bridges -- $16,875: Mobile community outreach
- Community Legal Services -- $16,800: Legal advocacy for low-income residents
- Cortney’s Place -- $15,679: Day program for adults with intellectual disabilities
- Fresh Start Women’s Center -- $685: Women’s self-sufficiency program
- Homeless Youth Connection – $4,811: Help homeless youth graduate
- Phoenix Rescue Mission -- $7,216: Day labor opportunities for homeless
- Raising Special Kids -- $ $4,811: Help families with disabled children navigate the education and healthcare system
- Scottsdale Community Partners - $16,875: Emergency rent and mortgage assistance
- Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center -- $7,217: Activities at Paiute campus
- Teen Lifeline -- $16,875: Peer crisis hotline
- Valley of the Sun YMCA –$16,875: South Scottsdale home-delivered meals
- Waste Not Arizona -- $1,064: Meal programs for low-income children
The City Council in May also approved $1,198,070 in Community Development Block Grants which support a variety of public facility improvements and community programs including high quality, safe and affordable housing for lower-income households. These are federally backed grant monies that must be used to benefit those whose income falls below 80 percent of Scottsdale's median level.
Source: https://www.scottsdaleaz.gov/news/city-council-approves-nearly-2-million-for-social-service-agencies-and-programs
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