Dsquared Homes for the Homeless GIF Back
Good Neighbor Bags!
This year as a part of our GIF Back initiative to support Arizona nonprofits serving our local Tempe community, MISGIF is partnering with Arizona nonprofit Dsquared Homes for the Homeless to sponsor and pack 500 on-the-go packs filled with useful items like socks, soap, granola bars, etc., which are affectionately called “Good Neighbor Bags” by the City of Tempe’s H.O.P.E. (Homeless Outreach Prevention Effort) Team who distributes the bags to our Tempe unsheltered community members.
A LOOK AT TEMPE’S UNSHELTERED COMMUNITY
According to the City of Tempe’s annual survey that helps assess and address the needs of our local unsheltered community, 384 individuals in Tempe reported experiencing “homelessness,” though this number is likely much lower than in reality.
In general, unsheltered individuals face a number of heartbreaking hardships such as lack of shelter, safety, food and medical care, but they also face a likelihood of chronic health problems including dehydration and exhaustion which are often worsened by our triple-digit Arizona heat, and in turn can make navigating daily life even more difficult.
"The stress from the heat really exacerbates psychosis, and then it becomes so much harder to get people in to engage in any services," reports psychiatric nurse practitioner Nina Gomez of the mobile medical clinic run by the nonprofit Circle the City.
WHY GOOD NEIGHBOR BAGS?
The solution to helping our unsheltered neighbors isn’t simple nor easy, but providing access to free resources for community members in need can be. That’s why we chose to team up with our friends at Dsquared Homes for the Homeless and the City of Tempe’s H.O.P.E. Team year-round, to help provide some relief in the form of lightweight, travel packs stocked with toiletries like soap, shampoo, tampons, sanitizer as well as socks, water bottles, snacks, etc.
One thing we love about volunteering with Dsquared Homes for the Homeless is that they make providing support year-round easy. Four times each year we’re able to sponsor and pack 200 Good Neighbor Bags (800 total) at our offices then drop them off down the street at Tempe Public Library to the City of Tempe’s H.O.P.E. Team so they can distribute them effectively.
TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK!
Big thank you to Parties on Purpose and The Westin Tempe for making generous donations of deodorants, shampoos and conditioners to our Good Neighbor Bags!
If you’re interested in sponsoring, packing and/or distributing Good Neighbor Bags for your local unsheltered community Dsquared Homes for the Homeless can help facilitate this. Simply, visit their website at https://www.dsquared4homeless.org and contact them today!
THANK YOU DSQUARED HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS & H.O.P.E.
Big thank you to Dsquared Homes for the Homeless and City of Tempe’s H.O.P.E. Team for their service! We are so grateful to partner with both of these community organizations and encourage you to join us in GIF-ing back to your community!
Learn more about Dsquared Homes for the Homeless and H.O.P.E.: