PHOENIX, Ariz. (Sept. 15, 2021): Before the coronavirus took hold, individuals experiencing homelessness without shelter beds who were accessing services on the Human Services Campus (HSC) were able to safely store their belongings in a secure room managed by HSC staff members.
But multiple factors relating to the campus’ successful response to COVID-19, including redirecting funding to align staff to critical needs and functions, caused the Store to Explore program to be discontinued.
A $25,000 grant from Wells Fargo will enable HSC to restart, expand and enhance the program by providing a better facility and location as well as first-year staffing.
HSC serves single adults experiencing homelessness. Between 800 and 1,000 individuals are served on the campus every day. Of the 6,600 unduplicated individuals served in 2020, 70% had no income and 30% had incomes below $1,000 a month.
“For an individual experiencing homelessness, knowing that their possessions are in a safe place gives them comfort as well as the opportunity to access the resources and services to get them from street to home without worrying about where to put or hide those possessions,” said HSC Executive Director Amy Schwabenlender. “We’re grateful to Wells Fargo for enabling us to offer this service once again.”
The Store to Explore program is among the broad range of services addressed by HSC and its 15 on-campus partner organizations to create a continuum of care and services. All individuals on the campus are experiencing homelessness. In 2020, 43% of clients self-reported having a mental health condition, 39% had a chronic health condition, 32% were domestic violence survivors, 23% had a physical disability and 6% were U.S. veterans.
“The causes of homelessness are as diverse as the clients we serve,” Schwabenlender said. “Our holistic approach addresses the root cause of the challenges for each individual.”
For more information about Wells Fargo, visit www.wellsfargo.com. For more information about the Human Services Campus, visit www.keystochangeaz.org.
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Media Contacts:
Amy Schwabenlender
CEO
Keys to Change
602-281-8628
amys@keystochangeaz.org
