You Gave Me A Place to Call

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2016 SPRING NEWSLETTER

IN THIS ISSUE

You Make It Happen 2015 Outcomes. How your contributions helped others

Happy Volunteers ASU Students make a difference

Sharing HopeLa Mesita Family Shelter is nearing completion

Branching

U.S. Army Veteran Michael moves off the

streets to affordable housing and friends.

Now he wants to give back by telling his story.

You make it happenWe offer our heartfelt thanks for the lives we are able to change every day because of the generous support of friends like you. The need is still greater than ever, but with your support, we can continue to provide the help and the hope that many individuals and families so desperately need. Here are the outcomes of your donations in 2015:

You make it happen

for your support.Thank you

2,615victims of domestic

violence found safety and a voice

150Knights of shelter for children and adults

6,197reached out through our domestic violence crisis hotline and were connected to a real person

4,869 individuals and families received help with rent or utilities through our MesaCAN program

5,757youth received behavioral health intervention

STUDENTS140

received education assistance through our IDA program

CHILDREN222

found safety through our foster care programs(doubled from the previous year)

HOMELESS300

entered our Rapid Re-housing Program

21,140individuals served

2015OUTCOMES

You Gave Me A Place To Call Home The Journey to Independence

Beyond Emergency HousingU.S. Army Veteran Michael moves off the streets to affordable housing and friends.

Michael spent many proud years serving his country in the armed services. But then a perfect storm of bad

luck changed everything. He lost his job, his marriage, and his home. To cope, he started drinking heavily. Eventually, Michael received a DUI sentence that resulted in a summer-long stint in jail.

Jail sobered him up. But when Michael was released he had no vehicle. His divorce left him without a support network — and without a home.

He had lost everything.

“I was at a low point in my life,” he explains. “I didn’t trust anyone so I had to rely on myself. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” He lived outside for a year, using public facilities for bathing and basic necessities. As a 60-year-old veteran, Michael did have the skills to cope with adversity. “I learned a lot from my time in service,” he says. “I could get by on little food and the clothes on my back.” Michael walked everywhere in triple digit heat. He scavenged for food. He slept in the park, in alleys, on trails, anywhere he could lay his head. Michael was alone and lonely. “I was pretty desperate,” he says. “You never know how bad it can get, until you are homeless with no shelter or belongings.”

Then, Michael discovered A New Leaf’s La Mesita Apartments, a housing complex for low-income individuals and the chronically homeless. He learned about it through a newspaper article and he contacted the City of Mesa to seek a voucher to enable him to find a safe, stable home. He was overjoyed when he was accepted into La Mesita Apartments.

Thanks to the support of friends like you, Michael found hope again. “I like having a roof over my head,” he says. “I’m a survivor. I learned that you can do anything you put your mind to do. I’m very grateful for what I have now.” With his immediate needs met, he is working hard to rebuild his life again. He still likes to spend time outdoors and arises at 5 am to walk to Jack in the Box for his morning coffee. He has made many friends at the La Mesita Campus and the staff speaks fondly of him.

“I owe everything to A New Leaf,” Michael says. Now he wants to give back by telling his story.

I owe everything to

– Michael A New Leaf.

turnanewleaf.org

People can wait for housing for several years. You can help change that. This newsletter can show you how. To learn more about us, please visit our website at turnanewleaf.org

A New Leaf launched its “Sharing Hope” Capital Campaign in September 2013,

mobilizing community support for the construction and operation of the La Mesita Emergency Family Homeless Shelter. With leadership from Campaign Co-Chairs Trey and LeAnn Basha and the dedicated Campaign Cabinet, A New Leaf and its volunteers have raised awareness of the homeless crisis affecting Arizona and generated funds to support the La Mesita Family Shelter. We are happy to report that the campaign is almost finished with less than $583,000 of the target goal of $11.5 million left to raise. Construction of the shelter began in the Spring of 2014 and was completed in March 2015. The 16-unit shelter is the only shelter in the East Valley that provides housing to families with children. The life-saving facility provides an array of services to ensure a safe path out of homelessness for families in crisis. The third and final phase of construction will begin later this spring that will create 30 additional family housing units.

The support of the community has been phenomenal. A New Leaf’s “Sharing Hope”

La Mesita“Sharing Hope”Capital and FamilyServices Campaign

The

$733,000

$4,312,817

$6,969,223

$8,917,658

$10,917,375

$11,500,000GOAL

Campaign Progress

Did You Know...

Many supporters are considering leaving a portion (%) of their IRA to A New Leaf? Some are leaving 90% to their family and 10% to A New Leaf. When we inherit from an IRA, you owe no tax on the proceeds. If you would like more information about this “planned tax–efficient gift” which will help us continue our mission of Helping Families...Changing Lives, please call Deb at 480.450.3028.

Happy Learning

A New Leaf’s La Mesita’s After School Program provides life skills training and development, social skills training and development and behavioral health prevention through:

mentoring

computerexperience support

structure

supervision

homework assistance

field trips

La Mesita’s official ground breaking!

campaign has energized our donors and partners while revitalizing the Mesa Corridor. As part of the La Mesita Campus, the family homeless shelter serves as a lasting source of pride for A New Leaf’s staff and volunteers. Donors, volunteers and staff will celebrate this successful campaign at the 32nd Annual Camaraderie Gala on Saturday, March 12. This special event will be held at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia. More information on the event and the La Mesita “Sharing Hope” campaign can be found on our website at turnanewleaf.org.

Visit our website at turnanewleaf.org to donate and for more ways to help.

Happy VolunteersASU Changemakers, Student Volunteers come together frequently to spiff up our La Mesita Campus. These young adults make hours of hard work and creative fundraising endeavors feel playful and rewarding. Their efforts continue to enhance our properties and our services. We’ve become attached to their glowing personalities and huge smiles. GO DEVILS!

The ICE-ing on the cakeInternational Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE), headquartered in Scottsdale, has been bringing smiles to the kiddos in A New Leaf shelter programs in many ways for many years. From supporting our fundraising events to providing truckloads of holiday gifts and school supplies, they enthusiastically meet the needs of our shelter kids. ICE is appreciated and respected for numerous reasons. Their hands-on employee participation demonstrates a sincere commitment to making a difference. A New Leaf is honored to be one of their charities of choice.

Give the gift of new found hope, new beginnings, growth and change for individuals and families in need.

Remove the envelope to find out how.

Out of four veteran applicants who reside in A New Leaf’s East Valley Men’s Center, it was Douglas Jackson’s heartfelt letter that won him a van. In it, he detailed his inspiring journey from service in the First Gulf War, to post traumatic stress disorder, a divorce, alcoholism and eventually homelessness. When asked to read his letter, hardly a dry eye was left in the building.

Onlookers expressed great pleasure participating in such an inspiring moment. Appreciation was extended to the vehicle donor, Richard Thompson, Valley Express Towing and Mesa Chamber of Commerce for providing Jackson with another resource to help ensure his journey to independence. Moments like these remind us of the goodness found in humanity.

And the winner is… Douglas Jackson

You CanHelp

5 Reasons Why

3 WaysHow

Drew Trojanowski, Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Douglas Jackson & Sally Harrison, Executive Director of Mesa Chamber of Commerce.

You Inspire Us You Inspire Us

A New Leaf fully maximizes your donations for the greatest impactYou help to keep vulnerable populations off the streets (women and children)You allow our programs to provide critical services that help families get back on their feetApproximately 29,000 people experienced homelessness in Arizona last year; 40% were families with children—you help make a differenceWe are changing the future of our community one person/family at a time

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Become amonthly giver

Volunteer your time

Coordinate a basic needs drive in your neighborhood

868 E. University DriveMesa, AZ 85203-8033

480.464.4648

2016 SPRING NEWSLETTER

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For a digital version of this issue, please visitturnanewleaf.org/newsletter