Tempe Community Action Agency: Housing insecurity affecting new groups of people
Tempe Community Action Agency has experienced a surge of people needing services due to skyrocketing rent prices around the Valley.
And that surge includes some unexpected demographics: seniors and those with jobs who cannot afford a place to live.
The group partners with faith-based organizations to provide refuge and shelter to homeless adults. Volunteers provide daily meals along with case management to help individuals find a permanent home. Additional services include rent and utility assistance, medical care, a food pantry and a senior independent living program.
The nonprofit served more than 38,000 people last year.
In 2021, the group received $250,000 as the winner of the New Arizona Prize: Housing Security Challenge for a plan to address housing insecurity among the senior population living in the East Valley.
The nonprofit and its partners, Aster Aging and AZCEND, pair elderly individuals who are in danger of eviction into a home, thereby pooling resources to stabilize their living situation. At the same time, program officials will provide wraparound services to address additional problems they may experience.
And in 2022, the agency was one of 16 Arizona nonprofits that received "A Community Thrives" grants. The group received $10,000 from the program sponsored by The Arizona Republic/azcentral.com and Gannett Foundation. Gannett Co., Inc., owns The Republic.
The funds supported the agency's programs to break cycles of homelessness and poverty, said director Joe Rivera.
"It brings support to people that have been really marginalized and historically underserved in our community," he said.
This year, almost three dozen Arizona nonprofits applied for "A Community Thrives" grants. Final reviews are underway. Grants are expected to be awarded this fall. The 6-year-old initiative supports education, arts and culture, wellness and community building. In 2021, the program awarded almost $2.3 million to nonprofits nationwide.
Find more details about A Community Thrives at acommunitythrives.com. Learn more about Tempe Community Action Agency at tempeaction.org.
Roxanne De La Rosa writes about nonprofits for The Republic and azcentral.com. Reach her at rdelarosa@azcentral.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tempe nonprofit experiencing an increase in need for services for homeless
