MESA, AZ — Local nonprofits that serve people experiencing homelessness are sounding the alarm as an early heat wave drives dramatic demand for water and cooling supplies.
At Paz de Cristo Community Center in Mesa, staffers say clients are going through roughly 300 bottles of water every day. The organization typically gives away about 55,000 bottles of water a year, and its supply is running critically low.
“A lot of people aren’t prepared for it, especially since it’s March,” said Jackie Shelley, executive director at Paz de Cristo. “We are looking for those donations so we can continue to operate the way we do. We rely solely on donations.”
Arizona Gives Day, an annual statewide fundraising effort organized by AZ Impact for Good, is coming up on April 7. The event connects donors directly with nonprofits across the state and has raised more than $51 million for Arizona charities since 2013.
“This is so the non-profit that knows exactly what the community needs can support that need,” said Michael Morefield, who helps run the Arizona Gives Day effort. “The great thing about those non-profits: It’s unseasonably warm. They want to help the homeless population in their community, and they can use those funds directly to help those people.”
Morefield added that nonprofits can still register to participate on the Arizona Gives Day platform, and said the timing this year could not be more urgent, given the early heat.
