North Phoenix

MAYOR GALLEGO WRITES

Phoenix City Council Unanimously Approves Major

Funding for Homelessness

By Mayor Kate Gallego

On April 21, Phoenix City Council unanimously approved the allocation of nearly $27 million of federal COVID-19 funding to support vulnerable populations in the community. The money will be used to combat homelessness, address housing insecurity, and provide micro-loans and grants for local small businesses and nonprofits. This vote represents the largest Community Block Development Grant investment toward combatting homelessness in the City’s history.

Of the many cruelties inflicted by COVID-19, perhaps none is greater than the fact it’s made the most vulnerable among us even more so. One of most pertinent and immediate changes from this vote is the city will be moving our most vulnerable and at-risk residents into hotel rooms. While these funds are going to help the city respond to the very real and present danger of COVID-19, Phoenix is looking at these investments in the long term. The wrap-around services begun through these programs will have a positive ripple effect for years to come, not least of which is getting people into homes.

This is an opportunity to make real gains in fighting homelessness and emerge a stronger, more resilient, and compassionate community.

MAYOR

City of Phoenix

602.262.7111 www.phoenix.gov

Get Your Garden Growing Tips from Farmer Greg at The Urban Farm

By Greg Peterson

May is a great time to get your garden going and there are three important things you need to take into consideration: location, soil and seasons. A major miss in any of these three areas will confirm your misdiagnosis of brown thumb. I have found that most people who think they can’t grow simply don’t have the knowledge they need to succeed. My goal at The Urban Farm is to share how easy it is to grow your own!

First, look to find the perfect location for your garden. Here in the low desert with our extreme heat, an eastern exposure (which gets sun from sunup till noonish) will be your best place for a garden. Take note that a western exposure is likely to be too extreme since it gets sun from noon till sundown, and a northern exposure will likely not get any sun.

Second, growing plants in the dirt that you have in your yard is sure to leave you deeply dissatisfied. Your job as an urban farmer and gardener is to grow healthy soil. That is done by adding lots of compost and planting mix. I say you can’t add enough and, often, I will add two inches of compost on top of my garden and plant away.

Third, planting what is right for the season is imperative. Do not trust your big box stores and nurseries to bring in the correct plants for the season. Get a local planting calendar like the one at www. plantingcalendar.org.

If you think you have a brown thumb, it might be time to reconsider that. In my experience, if you pay attention to your garden placement, soil and planting seasons, you can build a thriving garden even here in the desert…and, in the process, grow yourself a green thumb.

Greg Petersonis a green living and sustainability innovator who is well known regionally. He has his master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from Arizona State University. Greg is the owner of the Urban Farm (www.urbanfarm.org), a real-world environmental showcase home in the heart of Phoenix. The Urban Farm features an entirely edible landscape, including over 75 fruit trees, rainwater and greywater harvesting, three solar applications, and extensive use of reclaimed and recycled building materials. The site is opened periodically throughout the year to the public and offers classes, lectures and tours.

Shemer Introduces Virtual Art Classes & More

Valley residents are invited to pull out their pencils and paint brushes, because now, thanks to the Shemer Art Center, they can participate in art classes from the comfort of their own homes. In an effort to continue delivering art education and creative activities for Valley artists and families, the staff and instructors of the Shemer Art Center have been busy converting its in-person art classes to virtual classes, creating a new app and uploading a custom art activity book.

“We want our students, as well as artists from all across the Valley, to be able to continue creating art, even if they have to do so from home,” said Shonna James, president and executive director of the Shemer Art Center. “As a result, the Shemer is continuing its adult classes via the internet, with weekly lessons and daily instructor feedback.”

Registration for class sessions is now open.

Additional ways the Shemer Art Center has transitioned its business during the time it is closed includes creating virtual tours of its current visual art exhibitions and introducing its own app.

“The app gives our students, visitors and donors a unique way to interface and connect with the Shemer Art Center instantly, from the palm of their hand.” said James. “Plus the app allows us to send out important notifications and announcements, and it provides access to everything Shemer!”

Anyone interested in downloading the new app on an iPhone can do so by searching for Shemer Art Center in the App store, and soon via Google Play for Android phones.

Also available from the Shemer Art Center, via its website and app, is its new art activity book. The book features a compilation of images sketched by instructors from the art center for coloring or painting, as well as a drawing lesson.

“It offers something for families and artists of all ages to do together at home during these challenging times,” said James. “It’s a great way for us to share art and give back to our community!”

The Shemer Art Center was the very first home built in Arcadia. Originally constructed in 1919 it was purchased and donated to the City of Phoenix in 1984 by Martha Shemer. For more information visit www.shemerartcenter.org or call 602.262.4727.

Rachel Winter, founder/owner of Happy Home Organizers

In order to adapt to today’s stay-at-home orders and social distancing guidelines, Happy Home Organizers — a professional home organizing company headquartered in Phoenix — is now offering a virtual home organizing service to Valley homeowners.

Through the use of Zoom and FaceTime, homeowners can now connect, one-on-one, with a professional home organizer who can personally assess their individual home organizing needs. The virtual organizing sessions are successfully — and safely — helping many people to face and conquer their clutter.

Owned by professional organizer Rachel Winter, Happy Home Organizers consists of several professional declutter coaches, professional organizers and home stagers. All of the professionals who work for the company are members of NAPO — the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals.

Winter says her new virtual organizing service has definitely been catching on now that so many people are staying inside their homes during this time of quarantine.

“People are finding the time to look around their homes more and they’re seeing all the unnecessary stuff that they have and they’re desperately wanting their homes to feel calmer, cleaner, and much more organized,” said Winter.

The virtual organizing that Happy Home Organizers offers is 100 percent coaching based. Since the professional organizer is not physically there in person, clients are being taught and coached how to do the job themselves. Working virtually and learning directly from a professional organizer, the client will essentially “learn how to fish,” says Winter. The cost of the virtual sessions is much less expensive than the usual in-person visits. Call for pricing information.

Winter believes that for many people, hiring a professional organizer is not just a home renovation, it’s a much-needed “life renovation.” She says that her company’s main goal is to help people feel calmer, happier and healthier inside their homes.

For additional information about Happy Home Organizers and to schedule a virtual home organizing session, call Winter at 602.469.5950 or visit www.happyhomeorganizers.com. After

New Nonprofit Brings Medical Supplies to the Frontline

In response to the novel coronavirus, a new nonprofit, ProtectAZ, was founded to bring crucial medical supplies to frontline personnel and the groups and organizations in the community that serve the most at risk. Organized and launched by local doctors and likeminded businessmen, the fully volunteer-based organization was created to raise private funds to locate, procure and distribute medical supplies in Arizona at an accelerated pace to meet today’s demands. ProtectAZ also created a new solution for helping coordinate the statewide community around this fight that can show in real time where and what is needed and how severe and critical the needs are.

The strategically formed group, with members from across the state, has formed a growing network of clinics, police/fire departments, homeless shelters, nursing homes and more that will communicate their needs continuously. ProtectAZ

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will provide an open-access database of information to guide the distribution and sharing of resources across the state to every invested party. To source the needed materials, the nonprofit has gathered doctors and business leaders in the community, local, national and international connections, and through large volume purchases and a simple distribution system, based in Phoenix, they are able to obtain and deliver supplies that are in short supply.

“Supporting workers on the frontline is critical to get this pandemic under control and protect those among us that are the most vulnerable,” said Dr. Tyler Southwell chief medical officer at ProtectAZ. “Most community organizations, even hospitals, face various barriers and are not able to react with the speed and magnitude needed right now — they need our help. Our community also needs an organization that can not only source the needed supplies but can create immediate logistical solutions to help us all get our hands around the needs out there. We are all in this together, and everyone who can, wants to help but doesn’t know how or where to start, or even what their community needs most. ProtectAZ hopes to be the conduit for all of that goodwill to make the biggest difference possible.”

Healthcare workers, first responders, assisted living, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, food banks and shelters are among the groups that ProtectAZ has identified as fulfillment priorities. The advisory committee comprised of local doctors and business executive access requests and supplies, then quickly acts to distribute.

Organizations in need of equipment and PPE can visit www.protectaz.org to make requests. For community members looking to support the nonprofit’s efforts, donations can also be made on the website.

ADVERTORIAL

Mother’s Day Jewelry Personified

Happy Mother’s Day — especially during these trying times of COVID-19. We will triumph over it with the blessings and well wishes of mothers and grandmothers.

By Indra Jhaveri

An occasion to remember always. She is the one who has given selflessly, love, compassion, physical and emotional energies in upbringing the loved ones in the family. It is time to rejoice her. Jewelry is one of the gifts considered for such occasion. Mother’s ring or pendant with birthstones of her loved ones in the family, like children and spouse etc.

The following are the highlights of birthstones for each month. Different gemstones have different metaphysical properties as accepted in ancient literature. (Ref. Google)

January: Garnet — A stone of commitment. Red garnet represents love.

February: Amethyst — A stone with healing powers to help with physical ailments, emotional issues and in energy healing.

March: Aquamarine — A stone of courage. Its calming energies reduce stress and quiet the mind. It has an affinity with sensitive people.

April: Diamond — A stone to promote strength, invincibility, courage, creativity and imagination.

May: Emerald — A stone of domestic bliss and loyalty. It enhances unconditional love, unity and promotes friendship.

June: Pearl — Pearls especially enhance personal integrity. It gives wearer a sense of calmness. It promotes faith, loyalty, truth and purity.

July: Ruby — A stone to shield against negative energy, physical attack and energy vampirism especially of the heart energy.

Alexandrite — A stone to help balance one’s emotional state to provide confidence to increase self-esteem and to help bring about change.

August: Peridot — A stone of compassion, believed to bring good health, restful sleep and peace to relationships by balancing emotions and mind.

September: Sapphire — Blue sapphire increase/enhances intuition, mental clarity and spiritual power.

October: Opal — It encourages freedom and independence. It stimulates originality and creativity. Tourmaline — Tourmaline comes in different colors and is ideal for healing purposes as it can focus its healing energies and help remove blockages thus providing physical vitality.

November: Citrine — It promotes motivation. Activates creativity and encourages self-expression.

Yellow Topaz — It manifests your intentions to instill faith that you can bring all manner of good things into your life.

December: Turquoise — Healing powers of turquoise can improve the mental state overall by increasing all of the mental characteristics.

Blue Topaz — It is crystal of joy, generosity, abundance and good health and fortune. To contact Indra Jhaveri, send email to amidiamond @live.com or visit www.amidiamondsandsjewelry. com. One can also reach him at (602) 432-2920 or (602) 923-8200.