Rick Brust, from Catholic Charities, walks through a sea of boulders as he searches a culvert near the Texas Roadhouse on Route 66 looking for homeless people sleeping outside in this October 2020 file photo.
Catholic Charities Community Services is collecting donations of cold-weather clothing and supplies, as well as hygiene products, to support individuals experiencing homelessness in northern Arizona as winter begins.
Needed items include new or gently used sleeping bags; cold-weather gear such as coats, hats, gloves and scarves; new white socks and underwear; hygiene items including toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant; and water.
“Homelessness is a year-round problem, but it is particularly challenging during the freezing winter months when survival is at risk,” said Carnie Rasband, director of Homeless Services, in a news release. “Our team continues to conduct outreach, but many homeless individuals prefer not to go to a shelter or don’t have the means to go to a hotel. We can provide rides to shelters or provide hotel vouchers and we work on an individual basis with each person to get them into transitional housing once they’re in a shelter.”
Catholic Charities is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization. Donations can be arranged by calling Catholic Charities Community Services in Flagstaff at (928) 774-9125 or via Catholic Charities’ Amazon Wishlist at www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2AIDNNRUUA8TC/ref=cm_go_nav_hz. For more information, visit www.CatholicCharitiesAZ.org.
