Special to Independent Newsmedia
Efforts led by Phoenix Rescue Mission helped rescue 303 unsheltered residents from the streets who were placed in housing or a suitable program this summer.
It marks the most successful Code:Red campaign with the highest number of people helped in the organization’s history on the heels of Arizona’s hottest recorded summer ever.
During its 11th annual Code:Red Summer Heat Relief Campaign, which ran from May 1 to Aug. 31, Phoenix Rescue Mission distributed 810,685 water bottles to those in need. Hundreds of churches, businesses, and community members donated cases of water and critical funding and supplies to make the effort possible, a press release states.
According to Maricopa County, at least 178 individuals experiencing homelessness died from heat-related causes in 2022, with the number of fatalities trending even higher in 2023.
In addition to water bottles, the Mission’s “Hope Coach” street outreach vehicles drove more than 70,000 miles to engage with 1,815 people experiencing homelessness, and distributed 6,781 “Hope Totes,” or bags filled with essentials like sunscreen, socks, hygiene products and more.
“Helping men, women and families living on the streets survive the deadly summer heat in Arizona is always our top priority when the season comes around,” Phoenix Rescue Mission CEO Ken Brissa shared in a press release.
Several municipalities, including Glendale, Phoenix, Peoria, Avondale, Scottsdale, El Mirage, Surprise and Goodyear created partnerships with the Mission to bring relief to their neighborhoods through the campaign.
Visit PhoenixRescueMission.org. The nonprofit has been operating since 1952.
