NEXT DOORS {ahead of the curve}
WORKING TOWARD A SOLUTION
Glendale Works is helping homeless individuals restart their lives
Tom Evans | Contributing Editor
It’s no secret that homelessness is a critical problem right now. You can see it as you go around the Valley. The homeless population is increasing, and so is the enormity of the task of addressing the issue. Just one data point — in 2014, only 18 percent of homeless people in the Valley were forced to live unsheltered and outside. In 2019, the number was up to 48 percent. “Those people tend to be the hardest to serve, and their issues are most acute,” said Nathan Smith, director of community engagement with Phoenix Rescue Mission. “We need more intensive services to meet them where they are at and find some sustainable solutions.”
In 2014, only 18 percent of homeless people in the Valley were forced to live unsheltered and outside. In 2019, the number was up to 48 percent.
Thankfully, there are many great nonprofit organizations and community leaders working to address homelessness. You could write a book about all of the work being done in cities like Phoenix. It’s a big, complicated, expensive problem that involves helping people with significant MARCH 2020 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA 29
