Councilman Greg Stanton and Martin Shultz
North Central News Column
November 2006 Region Working Together to End Homelessness
Maricopa County is emerging as a national leader in the fight to end homelessness. Innovative ideas and cutting-edge technologies, combined with the steadfast dedication of passionate advocates, have produced effective results.
This year’s National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is Nov. 12-18. In recognition of this, we are kicking off a campaign to promote the region's progress and encourage community involvement.
During the week, our region will celebrate a significant event: the one-year anniversary of the day the doors opened at the Maricopa County Human Services Campus. This campus grew out of great collaboration between the city of Phoenix, Maricopa County, local businesses and non-profits. The Human Services Campus provides not only shelter, but also essential services like healthcare, counseling and outreach programs – all to help homeless individuals and families move into transitional and permanent housing.
We are proud that local outreach efforts have become examples of excellence for other communities to follow.
Maricopa County’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) was recently recognized as one of the top three systems in the nation for tracking services provided to the homeless. HMIS works to ensure access to care at different locations, allowing us to provide seamless service to the homeless community.
Also, the Arizona Evaluation Project was created to assess the quality and performance of homeless programs. By objectively tracking outcomes, the project will offer reliable data about the number of homeless people moving off the streets, allowing us to identify needs and priorities. It's a statewide collaboration and received a national achievement award in September.
These are just a few of the many important strides our community has taken in the fight to end homelessness.
We encourage you to get involved this holiday season. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Phoenix is one of many organizations on the frontlines providing for our homeless population. St. Vincent de Paul accepts new or gently used clothing and non-perishable food items at its thrift stores throughout the Valley. For a list of locations and to learn more about other ways to help, visit www.stvincentdepaul.net or call 602-266-HOPE.
Let’s work together to help those who need it most.
Phoenix CityCouncilman Greg Stanton chairs the Maricopa Association of Governments Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness. Martin Shultz is Vice President of Government Affairs at Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and a member of the same MAG committee. Shultz helped lead the private sector fundraising to create the Maricopa County Human Services Campus.
