It was a beautiful evening with perfect weather as the Friends of Homeward Bound held its third annual ROOFTOP fundraising event at Mountain Shadows Resort. Proceeds from the event went to beneficiary Homeward Bound, a Phoenix-based organization serving families experiencing homelessness or facing homelessness. In total, $230,000 was raised for the nonprofit.
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The statistics of homelessness in Phoenix are staggering. According to Maricopa Association of Governments, 13,000 individuals were experiencing homelessness in the most recent Point-In-Time Count (2022). That number represents a faster rate of increase compared to anywhere else in the nation. Per the same Point-In-Time Count, of those 13,000 individuals, 2,000 of them represent families experiencing homelessness, with 1,240 of those being children 17 and younger.
Keeping families in housing is paramount for the nonprofit. “We’re looking at affordable housing options that are available for our families and also diving into more prevention services for families,” says Whitney Silence, CEO of Homeward Bound.
“We provide a lot of financial assistance for people who are facing eviction,” Silence explains of Homeward Bound’s efforts. “How do we keep them in their homes before they need our full complement of services?”
Homeward Bound’s Thunderbirds Family Village hosts 76 fully furnished apartments with childcare and employment center resources to help families get back on their feet and become self-sufficient. Case managers are assigned to families that enter Homeward Bound’s program to assist in developing a plan to get a family into their next home. Food pantries, workforce development and housing navigation services are also provided. Youth services including childcare, a library/computer center, playgrounds and a teen center offer a balance of age-appropriate work and play.
Families that are on the brink of homelessness are also assisted by Homeward Bound’s Homeless Prevention Initiative. The program, designed for today’s challenges, provides resources that help families remain in their homes, including employment and rent and utility assistance.
It takes a community of passionate supporters and volunteers to help propel the mission of Homeward Bound through several fundraising initiatives, including the ROOFTOP fundraiser.
“We started with a group of friends, called the Friends of Homeward Bound,” Silence explains of the ROOFTOP fundraiser. “They came to us and wanted to host an event to benefit the organization. They had the concept of a ‘non-gala,’ where people could come together and just have fun with live music and entertainment to benefit our families.”
The ROOFTOP fundraiser at Mountain Shadows started off with a cocktail hour featuring pianist and harpist Jan Aldridge-Clark. There was also a wine and spirits pull. Luxury raffle items included a diamond cluster necklace donated by Schmitt Jewelers, a private in-home catered dinner by Catering by Carly, donated by Catering by Carly, Action Wine & Spirits, Pourmasters Bar Service, Cakemeshelly and Flowers by Tony and a Katy Perry Las Vegas Experience donated by Linda and Michael Nelseon and Karina Smith.
Dinner was served on the Mountain Shadows lawn at sunset, and included a Mediterranean garden salad, a large self-serve seafood experience, carving stations boasting salmon and barbecued top sirloin and a variety of mouthwatering sliders. Executive Chef at Mountain Shadows, Charles Wiley even got in on the action, serving guests at one of the carving stations. “I’m just happy to be able to do this,” says Wiley.
After the sun set, guests ascended a few flights of stairs to a rooftop deck at the resort boasting nighttime views of Camelback Mountain and spreads of decadent desserts. Then, it was time to heat things up and dance the night away with The Hamptons, a local band that kept the dance tunes going for hours.
The founders of the ROOFTOP fundraiser are Suzanne Dickey, Roseann Dunteman, Tiffany Leyva, Kathi Neal and Patty Sapp. They work year-round with their event committee to produce the ‘non-gala.’ Homeward Bound’s mission and raising awareness of families experiencing homelessness is always front and center, and some family members that have been assisted by the organization were also in attendance for the evening.
“We would love for people to volunteer at Homeward Bound!” finishes Silence. “We also have our fall event, Toast, on October 14. It’s a ‘shop-and-sip’ style event where we bring in local vendors and we’re able to mingle, have food and drinks and enjoy a morning of shopping.” The event takes place at Events on Jackson in Phoenix, and tickets will go on sale soon.
Another avenue of helping support Homeward Bound’s efforts is by making a donation through a dollar-for-dollar tax credit that may be available through your Arizona tax return. Visit homewardbound.org for additional information.
