PHOENIX — The number of people experiencing homelessness is growing in Maricopa County. On Sunday, former NFL star Nick Lowery and a team of volunteers with Four Angels Foundation served up meals and hope.
Thomas Stusek enjoyed his plate of chicken and rice Sunday morning. He tells ABC15 he recently became homeless after some relatives passed away.
“I fell into a lot of depression and all that. Wasn't able to find work. I couldn't keep my apartment, then I found myself here,” Stusek said.
On Sunday, the Nick Lowery Foundation took over the dining room of St. Vincent de Paul and passed out food, clothes and gift cards to people experiencing homelessness. This is part of the few events the foundation does each year called “Champions for the Homeless.”
Stusek said he was grateful for the food and the help on Sunday.
“It’s really nice, it shows that people care and you’re not counted out. It shows you’re a part of the fabric of society, that you matter,” Stusek said.
“It's a message that these wonderful brothers and sisters, who happen to be homeless, are not forgotten. They are loved, they're still powerful, there is hope and who doesn't need that?” Lowery said.
Lowery said he recognizes more people are in need of help.
The number of people experiencing homelessness in the county grew in the last few years. According to the latest numbers from the Point in Time count released in March, more than 9,000 people said they were without a home. That’s a 34% increase in unsheltered people from 2020 to 2022.
“There’s always more to be done. To me, the message to ourselves, is if I help one person.. I’m sure you’ve had that moment, everybody watching, where you come back to: if I can help one person and know I helped them every single day, my life has changed and so has theirs, and that’s where the juice of life always flows,” Lowery said.
The Nick Lowery Foundation says it helped nearly one thousand people on Sunday. That’s about three to four hundred more people than usual for St. Vincent de Paul, according to Jesse Castro with St. Vincent de Paul.
“I feel good to be able to, you know, have a place like this I can come and at least there are some people around,” added Billy Glass Jr., who came through to get some food from the organizations.
