Since the start of its annual Code:Red Heat Relief Campaign on May 1, Phoenix Rescue Mission, a Christ-centered nonprofit providing transformative resources and solutions to those in need throughout Maricopa County, has successfully rescued 188 unhoused individuals from the life-threatening triple-digit temperatures in the Valley of the Sun.
The mission's Code:Red Heat Relief Campaign goes through Aug. 31 and aims to save vulnerable populations within Maricopa County from the deadly summer heat by distributing 1 million water bottles and helping get people off the streets. They've distributed more than 230,000 water bottles and provided more than 430 heat-relief transport rides so far this summer to people living on the streets of the Valley.
Phoenix Rescue Mission (PRM) announced earlier this year the results of its recent Resource Gap Analysis study on homelessness, addiction and food insecurity conducted by From the Ground Up. This is the first study of its kind in the nation.
The study surveyed and interviewed 1,181 individuals in the 10 largest Maricopa County municipalities, including people experiencing homelessness, shelter clients, elected officials, first responders and many more community groups over the course of 16 months to answer two questions:
- What are the available resources and unmet needs related to homelessness, substance abuse and food insecurity?
- How might PRM be a partner in addressing these needs?
“To best be able to help our most vulnerable populations, we first need to understand what life-controlling situations they are facing,” said Nathan Smith, the project’s manager and PRM’s chief program officer. “This study has shed a light on what obstacles are standing in front of people finding housing, jobs, mental health treatment and more.”
Key findings of the study include:
- Nearly 68% of unhoused survey participants are also experiencing addiction. The 2023 Point-In-Time Homelessness Count found that only 24% of unhoused count participants answered yes to facing substance abuse.
- The No. 1 answer participants gave as to why they were unhoused was economic factors, followed closely by health issues, then familial issues and lastly, the lack of affordable housing.
- Safety/security, overcrowding and cleanliness were among the reasons why almost 50% of unhoused surveyed participants are not currently in shelters.
- More than 37% of surveyed participants experiencing food insecurity find that food banks are inaccessible in part due to the low number of them in the Valley, lack of transportation and limited hours.
- The No. 1 answer surveyed participants living with addiction gave for not receiving help was pride and shame.
“We outlined a variety of important takeaways from this study,” added Smith. “We can say confidently that the three issues we surveyed for are symptoms of large-scale societal problems. With this insightful information, we plan to conduct in-depth organizational vision-casting, strategic planning, partnership development and more to help address the homelessness, addiction and food insecurity crises in the greater Phoenix area.”
View the full study, including the number of each population surveyed, the methodology used, and more here. For more information about Phoenix Rescue Mission and the services it provides, visit PhoenixRescueMission.org.
