More than 100 people attended a Catholic Charities Community Services fundraiser April 10 at the Mongini Barn to support The Loft, which is the organization’s homeless day center in Cottonwood.
“The Loft started in 2010 and this is the first year of the fundraiser; we hope to make it an annual event,” said Renee Targos, director of marketing for Catholic Charities, a nonprofit social support agency that serves Greater Phoenix, central and northern Arizona.
The Loft is a drop-in center for the homeless, according to Office Manager Mary McCoy. They can’t spend the night because it’s strictly a day center. It’s a safe place where they can have access to a computer, phone, tents, sleeping bags and other resources, including tents and sleeping bags. They can do a load of laundry, get a shower. There’s also a clothes bank.
Volunteer aides help clients write resumes, set up email and voicemail accounts, look for jobs and receive services. Others interact with clients giving life-skills advice, playing a favorite game or just lending a compassionate ear, according to Targos.
The Loft also provides comfort beyond its practical offerings, said Wendy Owens, Catholic Charities’ senior development coordinator. “We want them to feel part of a community.”
The facility, located at 736 N. Main in Old Town, is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
To read the full story, see the Wednesday, April 15, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
