PHOENIX – Gov. Jan Brewer has awarded $771,000 to five organizations to keep shelters for the homeless open.
Recipients of the cash awards announced Thursday include three groups in Maricopa County. They are Central Arizona Shelter Services ($503,000), United Methodist Outreach Ministries of Phoenix ($114,500) and A New Leaf in Mesa ($62,500). Others are Catholic Charities in Prescott ($41,000) and Primavera Foundation in Tucson ($50,000).
State Housing Department Director Don Cardon says the money will be used to keep shelters open to help meet increased demand for services at a time when donations are down and other funding is being cut.
“The current economic conditions have created a wave of Arizonans who have never been homeless before, and these individuals and families are showing up at shelter doors only to be denied services,” Cardon said.
The money comes from a housing trust fund fed by unclaimed property proceeds.