UMOM New Day Centers is the largest and longest-running shelter in Arizona, serving homeless and impoverished Valley residents since 1964. Over their 50 years of existence, this organization has established food banks, permanent housing for mentally ill, medical and dental centers, and schools for those who have desperately needed their services.
On June 6th, UMOM was informed that due to a generous contribution of $12.4 million from the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) and The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, the organization can continue to expand its project to provide affordable long-term housing options for the homeless. “The financing…will allow UMOM to continue toward our goal of providing every needy family with an affordable place to live,” says UMOM CEO Darlene Newsom after the announcement.
This contribution will be used to demolish a dilapidated building in Sunnyslope that UMOM acquired in 2011, and rebuild it with 48 units of various one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. At least 34 of those units will be reserved for occupation by families, veterans, and those who have been chronically homeless. The build is projected to begin in early 2015, with the hope that those on the shelter’s extensive waiting list can move in by fall. UMOM also plans to utilize the donation to build a nearby community center next to the Sunnyslope property, which will offer GED tutoring, health and wellness classes, and job search assistance.
The organization currently has up to 75 families on the shelter waiting list at any given time, and the Parsons knew something had to be done. “The idea of standing idle while a waitlist for affordable housing grows is simply not an option,” says Bob Parsons. “There are families in this community who need a leg-up and a second chance at becoming first-class citizens. Renee and I have every intention to help make a long-term difference in the fight to end homelessness in the greater Phoenix area, and we believe that UMOM’s new housing community is a great next step.”
This wasn’t the first time that The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation has contributed to UMOM’s success. Back in 2012, they gave a sizable $5 million donation to allow UMOM to pay off their main campus’s mortgage, where they provide emergency and transitional housing as well as other services for the Valley’s homeless.
UMOM’s mission has always been one that many can stand behind, and continue to support: to prevent and end homelessness with innovative strategies and housing solutions that meet the unique needs of each family and individual. Thankfully, due to this latest generosity, they can continue pushing toward that end goal.
To learn more about UMOM New Day Centers: http://www.umom.org/
To learn more about The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation: http://tbrpf.org/
