Reflections from the front lines serving people experiencing homelessness, looking forward to cooler temps as the calendar says it is Autumn, prepping for the annual Mike McQuaid I am Home Breakfast that is only two months away, and spinning another dozen plates in the air.
Reflections from the front lines serving people experiencing homelessness, looking forward to cooler temps as the calendar says it is Autumn, prepping for the annual Mike McQuaid I am Home Breakfast that is only two months away, and spinning another dozen plates in the air.
It is October and high temperatures are now less than 100, only 98. Lows in the 70s. Less hours of sunlight per day. “Heat relief” programming over for us. Which is a shame because we found that keeping Key Campus open 24/7 gave unsheltered people a safe place to be. This was the first year we experimented with a full 24/7 environment, and overall, it was successful with few issues. It does come with a cost though. Staff are needed, janitorial services are needed, security guards are needed. We estimate to do this year-round would total about $500,000.
Today’s report sent from the County Medical Examiner lists 665 people who died January through August 2026 as “transient.” They are not all heat-related, however they are all unhoused. In a few months we will be able to compare to last year and last summer specifically to learn if the county and statewide efforts to expand heat relief made a positive difference.
Also today, the Keys to Change street outreach team counted 280 unsheltered individuals in the immediate neighborhood of Key Campus. This is about 160 people more than two weeks ago when our Campus was open 24/7. Shelters on Campus were full last night with nearly 900 people.
The numbers of people experiencing homelessness continues to stay about the same. As a reminder, this doesn’t mean Keys to Change and partners aren’t successfully housing people. That happens every day too. As we are finalizing our annual report for FY26, we estimate that Keys to Change alone permanently housed five people per day on average last year.
We look forward to celebrating these and other accomplishments at this year’s annual fundraising breakfast, the 22nd Mike McQuaid I am Home event. Mark your calendars for Friday, December 4, 7:30 am at the Arizona Biltmore. Sponsorships are still available (more info at: Sponsorships | Keys to Change | Arizona ). I promise that in less than 90 minutes we will make you laugh, make your eyes water, inspire you, educate you, and appreciate you. Please join me and the Keys to Change team, as community is what makes our work possible and it’s a perfect morning to mark the transition to the holiday season.
I find this time of year a bit unsettling. Maybe it is the anticipated anxiety of events and holidays, and shopping for the perfect gifts. Or it could be the end of Summer, which still makes me nostalgic for summer breaks. There is nothing comparable to those weeks and weeks of no school! Although back then I know there were many times I complained of being bored. Oh, to be that kind of bored now, unscheduled time, no pressure.
I am not alone in leading an organization that has to keep multiple parts and pieces moving at the same time, spinning plates like a circus performer. We all have to do it. For me this couple of months seems extra-full of those plates. I appreciate my team that are each expert in their function, Board members who step up and reach out, colleagues and co-conspirators who share the vision of a community where anyone who needs shelter is able to access it and where there is ample housing supply for all. I am grateful for people who are going above and beyond to support us, to challenge us to be better.
And lastly, I am thankful for the people we serve who entrust us with insight into their lives in order to assist them in creating a pathway to home. I recently connected with a former client who needed to track down two packages that were to arrive at our post office/mailroom. Without going into all the details, we shared a string of emails to find the packages, identify where she really needed them shipped to, how to make sure they were sent/tracked/received. I saved her emails because in each one she expressed kindness and appreciation and words of prayer. Somehow this long-distance pen pal of sorts sent me comfort electronically that struck me in its authenticity and a feeling that she really “saw” me.
In our last email exchange, she wrote:
“My prayer for you is that God continues to bless you, your health, your future and the work you love. May He give you strength on the difficult days, wisdom in every decision, peace in your heart and continued success in the work you’re called to do. May your kindness return to you in ways you never expect and may the years ahead bring you genuine happiness, good health and beautiful moments.”
These types of emails, notes, and connections are gifts and treasures. They keep me steady while the plates are spinning and ease the Autumn anxiety. It’s a mad world, check on your people. Offer a word of support, extend a smile, make eye contact, share a prayer.
