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Noon Kiwanis assists homeless
Noon Kiwanians Paul Appeldorn, left, Don Williams, Jon ‘Thumbs up’ Geller and Jamey Fourna outside the Phoenix Rescue Mission, where they dropped off more than 70 cases of bottled water to be used in helping the homeless population.
Jamey Fourna and Paul Appeldorn were part of the serving line that dished out a big lunch meal to about 250 homeless people that afternoon.
Don Williams, left, and Jon Geller were all smiles be-fore serving lunch at the Phoenix Rescue Mission. The Noon Kiwanis Club has made several trips to the mission this past year to assist the organization in its service to the homeless population.
Posted
A small but hearty contingent of Noon Kiwanis members traveled to the Phoenix Rescue Mission Wednesday, June 26, with a dual purpose.
Making the trip were Paul Appeldorn, Don Williams, Jamey Foura, Jon Geller and Mike Scharnow.
The first goal was to deliver all the bottled water that had been purchased and collected to date by the club.
A total of 84 cases of bottled water were donated to the mission on behalf of the Noon Kiwanis Club, including 12 cases previously dropped off by Al Roselieb, club vice president.
This was just a few days before record-breaking heat came to the Valley, so the Rescue Mission and the homeless it serves had a huge need for the extra water.
Scharnow, club president-elect, coordinated the collection of water for the third straight summer.
“Their reserves were depleted when our shipment arrived just on time at the mission,” Scharnow said.
“It was good timing on our part.”
The mission has been conducting a “Code Red: Summer Heat Relief Campaign” since May 1.
Arizona ranks as the fourth worst state in the nation for homelessness. A startling 13,248 men, women and children are homeless in Maricopa County, according to the most recent Maricopa Association of Governments street count and point-in-time shelter data.
Phoenix is one of the few places in the U.S. where the homeless street population had actually grown by 11 percent in 2012 as compared to 2011.
Following the water drop, the Kiwanis guys donned aprons and prepared to serve lunch to approximately 250 homeless folks, including several children who were there with their young parents.
The Noon Kiwanis Club has expanded its repertoire of hands-on service projects this year and has made several trips to the Phoenix Rescue Mission, which is on 35th Avenue in Phoenix.
“It was only my second trip to the Rescue Mission, but I’ve enjoyed both service projects,” said Scharnow.
“Everyone in our club should take the time to go on one of these trips. You witness a whole different aspect of people and the Valley that you really don’t see in Fountain Hills.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the kids and wonder where they are going to spend the evening, especially with the summer heat that we have.
“This really epitomizes what Kiwanis is all about and why we join a service club. It’s about serving those who need help, and that’s exactly what we did.”
