Tempe Community Action Agency Inc

TCAA'S MISSION IS TO FOSTER DIGNITY AND SELF-RELIANCE FORTHE ECONOMICALLY VULNERABLE IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. OUR CAPACITY TO BRING ABOUT POSITIVE CHANGE IMPACTS OVER 38,000 UNDUPLICATED CHILDREN AND ADULTS ANNUALLY. THIS IS EQUIVALENT TO ONE IN SEVEN TEMPE RESIDENTS.

TCAA'S SERVICES ARE PROVIDED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:ADULT AND FAMILY SERVICES: TCAA OPERATES SEVEN PROGRAMS DESIGNED TO INTERVENE WITH AN INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY DURING A CRISIS AND/OR HELP THEM MOVE TOWARDS GREATER SELF-RELIANCE. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE:COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAM (CAP): TCAA'S CAP PREVENTS HOMELESSNESS DURING A TIME OF FINANCIAL CRISIS THROUGH THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY RENT, MORTGAGE, AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE. THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS SUPPLEMENTED WITH CRISIS CASE MANAGEMENT AND FINANCIAL COACHING SERVICES DESIGNED TO HELP PREVENT A FUTURE/REPEAT CRISIS. THE PROGRAM BENEFITS ADULTS OF ALL AGES AND FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN, SERVING 11,073 INDIVIDUALS IN FY 2021.INTERFAITH EMERGENCY LODGING PROGRAM (I-HELP): THE I-HELP EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAM SERVES AS TEMPE'S SOLE SHELTER RESOURCE FOR MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A NETWORK OF FAITH AND COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, I-HELP UTILIZES EXISTING CAPITAL STRUCTURES (E.G. CHURCHES) TO PROVIDE SAFE OVERNIGHT SLEEPING SPACE FOR UP TO 40 ADULTS AND SENIORS, WHILE EVENING MEALS ARE PROVIDED BY VOLUNTEER GROUPS EACH NIGHT. TCAA BRINGS CASE MANAGEMENT,RESOURCE NAVIGATION, EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, HOUSING PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE, AND MOBILE SHOWER AND LAUNDRY TRAILERS TO THE PROGRAM TO HELP CLIENTS WITH TRANSITIONING OUT OF HOMELESSNESS AND INTO PERMANENT HOUSING. I-HELP HAS OPERATED SUCCESSFULLY SINCE 2006. THE PROGRAM SERVES AN AVERAGE OF 600 MEN AND WOMEN AND SHELTERS AN AVERAGE OF 350 EACH YEAR.THE OASIS: OPENED IN JULY 2020, OUR UNSHELTERED NEIGHBORS NEED A PLACE TO GO SO THEY CAN GET OFF THE STREETS AND FIND A TEMPORARY SAFE HAVEN. OVER 7,200 VISITS WERE MADE LAST YEAR. THE OASIS DROP-IN CENTER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM A PRIVATE DONOR, STATE FARM, SILICON VALLEY BANK, AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF CIRCLE THE CITY, SHOEBOX MINISTRIES, AND HOMELESS ID PROJECT.HEALTH START: THE HEALTH START PROGRAM FOSTERS HEALTHY PREGNANCIES AND EARLY CHILDHOOD UPBRINGINGS FOR CHILDREN RAISED BY LOW-INCOME, MINORITY FAMILIES. TCAA'S COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (CHW) CONDUCT OUTREACH, MONTHLY HOME VISITS, WEEKLY EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS, AND PARENTING SUPPORT, AND ENCOURAGE PREGNANT WOMEN TO OBTAIN EARLY AND CONSISTENT PRENATAL CARE AND TIMELY IMMUNIZATIONS FOR THEIR CHILDREN. THE CHW PROVIDES EDUCATION, SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY TO THE FAMILIES THEY SERVE. ON AN ANNUAL BASIS THE HEALTH START PROGRAM SERVES 294 FAMILIES (1,400 INDIVIDUALS) LIVING THROUGHOUT MARICOPA COUNTY.HUNGER RELIEF: TCAA OPERATES TEMPE'S LARGEST FOOD PANTRY, OFFERING EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES, SENIOR FOOD BOXES, AND SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD TO ASSIST ADULTS AND FAMILIES IN CRISIS TO MEET THEIR NUTRITIONAL NEEDS. EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES CONTAING ENOUGH FOOD FOR 12 MEALS PER HOUSEHOLD MEMBER ARE DISTRIBUTED AT TCAA DURING SEVEN WEEKLY SHIFTS. OUR HUNGER RELIEF PROGRAMMING ALSO ASSISTS INDIVIDUALS WITH SECURING SNAP (FOOD STAMP) BENEFITS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THEIR FOOD BUDGETS AND ACCESSING COMMUNITY GARDEN RESOURCES TO GROW AND HARVEST FRESH PRODUCE. ADDITIONALLY, TCAA TRANSPORTS EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES TO TEMPE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOL SITES EACH MONTH FOR STUDENTS/FAMILIES WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR OTHERWISE IN CRISIS. THE PROGRAM SERVES 14,000 SENIORS, ADULTS AND CHILDREN EACH YEAR.COMMUNITY GARDENS: TCAA MANAGES THE ESCALANTE AND CLARK PARK COMMUNITY GARDESN, TWO OF TEMPE'S FIRST COMMUNITY GARDENS. NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS MAKE USE OF THE COMMUNITYGARDEN BEDS TO GROW OR HARVEST FESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLES, WHILE SURPLUS IS USED IN THE FOOD PANTRY PROGRAM TO SUPPLEMENT EMERGENCY FOOD BOXES.FINANCIAL SUCCESS CENTER: THE FSC ASSISTS UN-AND UNDER-EMPLOYED ADULTS WITH IMPROVING THEIR ECONOMIC SECURITY. UNDER THE FSC MODEL, TCAA PROVIDES FINANCIAL COACHING, EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE, AND INCOME SUPPORT TO HELP INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES ACHIEVE THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS. THE PROGRAM SERVES UP TO 100 ADULTS ANNUALLY.SENIOR SERVICES: TCAA'S SENIOR INDEPENDENCE PROGRAMMING PROVIDES THE NECESSARY RESOURCES AND SERVICES TO ENHANCE THE LIVES OF OLDER ADULTS AND ADULTS WITH DISBILITIES AND PROMOTES INDEPENDENT LIVING. SERVICES ARE OFFERED IN SENIOR CENTERS AS WELL AS IN THE HOMES OF SENIORS AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES WHO ARE HOMEBOUND. MORE THAN 900 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAM SERVICES EACH YEAR.SENIOR NUTRITION SERVICES: TCAA SERVES A CONGREGATE MEAL TO HELP MEET NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF AREA SENIORS. THE CONGRGATE MEAL SERVICE IS OFFERED AT TEMPE'S ESCALANTE, CAHILL, AND NORTH TEMPE SENIOR CENTERS AND THE GRANITE REEF SENIOR CENTER IN SCOTTSDALE. IN TEMPE, TCAA ALSO PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION TO THOSE WHO NO LONGER DRIVE AND HAVE DIFFICULTY WITH PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. SOCIAL SERVICE ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS INFORMATION AND REFERRAL, ARE OFFERED WHEN NEEDED. TCAA ALSO OPERATES A HOME DELIVERED MEAL PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES OVER 99,000 HOT NUTRITIOUS MEALS ANNUALLY TO HOMEBOUND SENIORS 60+ AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS THROUGHOUT TEMPE AND SOUTH SCOTTSDALE. NOT ONLY DOES THE HOME DELIVERED MEALS PROGRAM PROVIDE MEALS FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO OBTAIN FOOD ON THEIR OWN, BUT BOTH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ACT AS A LIFELINE MAKING SURE ALL IS WELL WITH THE PERSON RECEIVING THE MEAL.NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS: IN SPRING 2019, TCAA COMPLETED A MERGER WITH TEMPE NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS AND ASSUMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR PROGRAM. TCAA NOW OFFERS IN-HOME CARE FOR TEMPE SENIORS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO AGE IN PLACE. A TEAM OF SOCIAL WORKERS PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT FOR ENROLLED SENIORS. IN-HOME CARE INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, FRIENDLY VISITS, HOME AND YARD CARE, AND RIDES TO ACCESS FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE. THE NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS PROGRAM SERVES UP TO 150 AGING ADULTS ANNUALLY.