Health, human services agencies funding discussed by Apache Junction council

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

Five agencies seeking a portion of $90,000 in Apache Junction health and human services funding were revealed during a recent city council work session.

The Health & Human Services Commission held meetings to interview officials from each agency, which combined had sought a total of $201,500 in funding.

The commission recommendation to the city council is the following:

• $2,000 to Begin Again Homes, which had requested $80,000 for a temporary emergency shelter, case management and eviction prevention.
• $2,000 to Over-Flo Missions, which had requested $4,000 for meals and dry packaged foods for Desert Chapel Community Feast.
• $7,000 to AJ Community Development Corp., which had requested $7,500 for administrative/operating costs, community revitalization projects, equipment and the annual Make a Difference Day.
• $9,000 to Boys & Girls Club, which had requested $35,000 for salaries and employee-related expenses for programs such as: Power Hour, Project Learn, Be Great Graduate, Career Launch, Diplomas To Degrees and Money Matter.
• $70,000 to Superstition Community Food Bank, which had requested $75,000 for the emergency food program, holiday box program and student backpack program.

The agencies have to make a concerted effort to determine residency and eligibility to ensure the funds are used for Apache Junction residents, Health & Human Services Commission Chair Michael Brennan said during an April 14 council work session.

“I made clear at the very beginning of our discussion of these that we were to deal with a major premise — that funding was utilized for the populace of Apache Junction and every effort was to be made to make sure that that was the group that was being dealt with when funding was requested. That was sort of a revelation to some people and led to some of the reasons why there were changes in the allocation,” Brennan said.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. To voice your opinion on this story, connect with us at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.