Barbara's 70th Birthday Boost for Az Friends of Homeless

Hi, it's Barbara Lewkowitz and I turn 70 in 70 days! People keep asking what I want for my birthday. My preference is for us to make an impact and for individuals to donate $70 (or more) to Arizona Friends of Homeless, a non-profit 501(c)3 Charitable Organization serving the homeless in Phoenix, Laveen, Tempe, Glendale, Peoria, Tolleson, Youngtown, Surprise, and Sun City.

Summer is a very challenging time for those who live on the street and AFOH works hard to help individuals experiencing homelessness stay safe. I am especially cognizant as I turn 70 that older adults are the fastest-growing segment of America's homeless population, according to a Dec 2023 report in the Wall Street Journal, based on data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

AFOH serves our homeless community with volunteer outreach teams and a Dream Room distribution center at Beth El Synagogue. We engage in outreach seven days a week with many volunteers from all walks of life-helping those in need find the best, long-term solutions to the problems they may face while experiencing homelessness. Our outreach teams distribute food and hygiene essentials, WATER, much needed socks, shoes, seasonal clothes, cooling towels, first aid kits, backpacks, tents, hats, etc to the unsheltered. AFOH also provides other resources and directs clients to shelter or various services they ask for.

Your contributions in honor of my 70th birthday can help tremendously! We will be able to keep stocking our Dream Room with shelf-stable food, electrolytes and water, and other items needed by unsheltered individuals. Last summer we also had a successful pool pass program so that individuals could access community showers!

I hope you can participate in my birthday fundraiser for AFOH. If 101 people donate $70 each over the next 10 weeks, we would raise $7070. If 200 people donate, we would raise $14,000. That would be a tremendous birthday present for me and a HUGE fundraising boost for Arizona Friends of Homeless. $70 is great-it is ONE Dollar a day--but ANY amount from your heart is terrific!

Together we can aid the growing elderly homeless population with excellent outreach services and goods while they face the harsh summer conditions. I sincerely appreciate your consideration of my birthday request.