Albert Terrazas, Former I-HELP Client, Named Umpire-in-Chief for NSA Southern California
Albert Terrazas was living on the streets for 6-8 weeks before coming to the Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program (I-HELP). Albert heard about I-HELP from a newspaper article he read while sitting in the Tempe Public Library.
Albert ended up on the streets after being laid off from his full time job. He has been umpiring over the years for supplemental income. Albert was financially stable enough to make it until the umpiring job stopped last fall and he needed new uniforms. A local church came to his aide and bought him some new uniforms, and he was able to start umpiring again in the December/January season.
When asked what I-HELP meant to him Albert stated, "the encouragement I received from Sam and Lindsay from Tempe Community Action Agency made a huge impact on my life, especially the words of Lindsay. The program mentally and emotionally really picked me up because being homeless was quite a shock to me. Sam and Lindsay really encouraged me and instilled confidence in me. The program is important because it gave me a lot of help by giving me a place to eat and sleep."
Albert is now trying to encourage others to work with TCAA and I-HELP. He tells them that if he can come through homelessness so can they. He started his job as the Umpire in Chief for the National Softball Association (NSA) in Southern California on February 18, 2010. Albert has an apartment here in Arizona and rents a room while he is in California.
Albert is an inspiration to us all and is living proof that I-HELP is a tremendous help to its clients.
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Mayor's Run
Get ready to run! Please join TCAA for the Mayor's Run/PF Chang's Arizona Marathon or 1/2 Marathon on January 16, 2011. Registration is starting now. Your participation will raise funds and awareness for Tempe Community Action Agency. For more information please see our website or email Kathy Estrada. |
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TCAA Nutritious Cooking Series
TCAA's Nutritious Cooking Series is a 3 week bi-lingual cooking and nutrition education class for TCAA's clients. The purpose of the class is to teach TCAA's low income clients to more effectively use their food resources by providing cooking, nutrition, and food budgeting skills to people who struggle to feed their family healthy meals. Thank you to Deb Meyer and Laura Lange for volunteering their instruction for the classes!
The classes work to end hunger and poverty through education and awareness. The first 30 minutes include an interactive lesson on some component of nutrition education; i.e. cooking vegetarian foods for better health and cutting food expenses. The next hour consists of working in the kitchen creating a healthy meal based on the theme for the day. Lastly, the class enjoys eating their delicious creation, socializing and cleaning up the kitchen.
Students will walk away with the necessary skills to make healthy and economical food choices. In the comments section of one participant's evaluation, they stated: "Thank you for taking time to teach us to be healthy."
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Volunteer Job Opportunities
TCAA has a variety of volunteer openings. Please check out the list below to see if you would be interested in joining any of these exciting opportunities to help others in our community.
*Drivers Needed
TCAA's Home Delivered Meals
program (HDM) is seeking drivers to deliver lunch to our homebound seniors and disabled residents. Delivery starts at 9:30 AM, Monday-Friday. A valid driver's license and background check is required. If you are interested, please contact Kathy, at 480-858-6511, for more information.
*I-HELP Opportunities
I-HELP is seeking individuals willing to drive the "Shower Power," mobile shower truck and trailer from the storage yard to the congregational host sites. If interested please email I-HELP.
There are also open dinner dates to provide an I-HELP meal to our guests each night - if you have a group, service club or congregation that is interested, please contact us at the email above.
Call us today! Thank you. |
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Thank you Tempe Diablos!
Thank you to Ken Hosley and the Tempe Diablos for the time and effort they put into organizing a towel drive for the Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program's Shower Power project. The 200 towels will be used to provide showers to the homeless to allow them to maintain employment!
The Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program (I-HELP) exists because of the time and monetary donations from the community.
Again, thank you for your support! For more information on Tempe Community Action Agency
visit our website!
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TCAA's Food Pantry is getting low on several items. If you are able to help we would appreciate donations of the following:
Rice (Large bags ok)
Peanut Butter
Beans (Dry, Large bags ok)
Pasta (spaghetti, macaroni, etc)
Canned Meals (ravioli, chili, stew)
Boxed Meals (hamburger helper, etc)
Last year, TCAA provided food boxes to 3,366 families. This represents a 23% increase in demand for emergency food boxes from last year. Over the past two years, the number of unduplicated families receiving emergency food boxes has increased 55%. A standard food box includes dry goods, produce, dairy, and meat items. Over 300,000 lbs of food are distributed annually through the TCAA food pantry.
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