During the third quarter, the Yeager Marketing Team partnered with the Phoenix Rescue Mission as part of our Aim Higher initiative. According to a PIT (Point In Time) report that was conducted in 2020, on any given night, at least 7,419 people experience homelessness in Maricopa County – an increase of 11% from the previous year. Nearly 51% of those individuals are unsheltered and living on the streets.

The Phoenix Rescue Mission has a program dedicated to reaching Arizonans on the street called the Hope Tote initiative. Hope Totes are filled with necessities such as food, hygiene products, and in the winter months, gloves and hand warmers. The Phoenix Rescue Mission then deploys their “Hope Coach” to the streets of the Valley to deliver the packages to men, women, and families without shelter. This delivery method allows the Mission to reach individuals who may not otherwise be able to take advantage of their services.

The Yeager team gathered to pack over 100 Hope Totes to donate to the Phoenix Rescue Mission. Because of the timing of our event, we elected to make Winter Hope Totes, knowing that temperatures in the coming winter months can drop to near freezing at night, even in the Valley of the Sun. The team met at our office in Scottsdale to assemble the totes of supplies that had been pre-ordered, and after the event we dropped off the bags to the Phoenix Rescue Mission Donation Warehouse.

Over 100 Arizonans will receive vital supplies from their Hope Tote, and will then be able to connect with the Phoenix Rescue Mission to get further assistance. It was incredibly rewarding for our team to watch a pile of bulk supplies turn into useful and compact kits that can help our community, and it reminded us all to think of those who may need a little extra hope in their day.