Local Organizations Rally To Raise Funds Ahead of Anticipated Wave of Evictions

by Phoenix Community Alliance
Community Spotlight Phoenix Community Alliance August 5, 2020

On Monday, Phoenix Community Alliance’s (PCA) Social & Housing Advancement Committee (SHA) announced a new collaborative fundraising initiative to support eviction prevention.

The newly-established Wildfire Family Resilience Fund is a pool of resources that will provide rental assistance, utility assistance, legal assistance, financial planning and/or family reunification to those who need it.

Created by the nonprofit agency Wildfire, in partnership with PCA and Vitalyst Health Foundation, the fund provides targeted support to individuals and families facing eviction due to increasing economic hardships, and the still-unknown effects of COVID-19.

“The fund’s concept is exceptional. However, our metro area already faced a lack of affordable housing before the global pandemic hit,” said Sheila Harris, co-chair of PCA’s SHA Committee. “The partnership has generated seed money, thanks to Vitalyst, but in order for the fund to help families and individuals, we need to raise an incredible amount of capital with the community’s help, to aid in what will likely be an unprecedented wave of eviction-prevention demand.”

A leader in providing programs and supporting others committed to ending poverty, Wildfire recently partnered with the City of Phoenix to distribute CARES Act funds for short-term rental assistance to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While federal support for COVID-19-related expenses will eventually end, the threat of eviction will remain.

Using established technology and distribution systems, Wildfire provides financial assistance to qualifying households that apply through partner agencies.

“Wildfire and our 75 local and statewide partners welcome the community’s support to help prevent Arizonans from being evicted,” said Wildfire Executive Director Cynthia Zwick. “We expect extremely high demand for the fund because we know that many societal and public health issues will come to bear, like a perfect storm, making the fund’s goal more important than ever.”

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