What Can I Do To Eliminate Homelessness in Tempe?

Compiled by: Preston Hunter (480-269-5823)
Date compiled: 16 February 2022 • Last updated: 16 February 2022

Please contact me with corrections, suggestions, recommendations, etc.

Purpose: The purpose of this list is to provide a concise set things that individual residents can help to eliminate homelessness in Tempe. This is about things that each of us can do. This list does not contain policy recommendations for the city. So this list does not include things like "build a homeless shelter," because that is not something that each of us can do individually. That is something that would need to be done by a larger organization or government.

• Do not give money directly to panhandlers or people who appear to be homeless.
• Do not give food directly to panhandlers or people who appear to be homeless.
• Give panhandlers or homeless people a flyer listing local resources that can help them out of their situation.
• Give panhandlers or homeless people an invitation to the weekly "eliminate homelessness" event held at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesdays at Jaycee Park.
• If you talk with an individual homeless person and confirm that they are interested, give them a more detailed print-out listing local resources.
• Donate money to local organizations that work to eliminate homelessness.
• Donate permitted food items and requested material goods to local organizations that work to eliminate homelessness.
• Volunteer with local organizations that work to eliminate homelessness.
• Be aware of what you can and can not report to local police: [more information to be added here soon]
• Talk about homelessness with your neighbors. Discuss the topic in person and online. It is not an "off limits" topic.
• Become better acquainted with the (non-homeless) people in your neighborhood. This is the best thing I can do to prevent people in my neighborhood from becoming homeless in the first place.

[NOTE: I will soon be adding information about how to obtain physical copies of the city of Tempe's homelessness resources flyer and invitations to the the Jaycee Park intake event sponsored by the Aris Foundation.]