Junior League of Phoenix Celebrates 85 Years

The Junior League of Phoenix is celebrating 85 years of service to the community with an $85,000 grant to Phoenix Rescue Mission, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing solutions to end hunger, homelessness, addiction and trauma. The grant will allow Phoenix Rescue Mission to expand its current food bank program with a mobile food pantry and portable kitchen units to reach families in need, aligning with JLP’s focus on “Building a Healthy Arizona.”

The JLP and Phoenix Rescue Mission have committed to expanding these services due to an increasing food insecurity epidemic in the Valley, leaving one in six Maricopa County families unsure of where or how they will receive their next meal. Since Phoenix Rescue Mission began developing these services with the acquisition of Hope for Hunger food bank in 2017, it has grown from serving 75 families per day to 180.

The mobile food pantry with two portable kitchen units will allow Phoenix Rescue Mission to better serve and feed families living in food deserts without access to grocery stores and healthy food. The mobile food pantry will visit neighborhood parks, schools, community centers, libraries and other public venues to deliver nutritionally dense foods and the kitchen units will offer nutrition and cooking classes to provide much-needed nutrition education to those in need.

Additionally, the mobile unit will give Phoenix Rescue Mission volunteers and team members the opportunity to speak with community members about the organization’s other vital services, which include shelter services, transitional housing, addiction recovery programs, workforce and vocational development training, and wellness checks.

On Feb. 9 from 9 – 11 a.m., Junior League of Phoenix will have its 85th anniversary celebration at Phoenix Rescue Mission’s Mission Possible Cafe (1516 W. Van Buren St. Phoenix) to dedicate the new mobile food pantry truck as well as showcase the past successes and the future goals of JLP to continue making a positive impact in greater Phoenix.

PHOTOS COURTESY JUNIOR LEAGUE OF PHOENIX

 

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