Starting in the summer of 2018, the Verde Valley Homeless Coalition opened a drop-in center at 14 S. Main St. in Cottonwood, where the homeless population was able to come spend the day, avoiding the hot or cold weather, receiving snacks and other necessary items such as clothing or toiletries, and access computers and mail delivery.
VVHC staff quickly realized that the small location was not sufficient for the demand that they were encountering, and this summer they sought to move to a new and larger location.
Just as they were preparing to move to their new location on S. 15th St. at the beginning of September, a change in landlords led to them not being able to. An attempt to take space in the basement of the Living Water church on Mingus Avenue also fell through due to zoning issues, leaving the homeless services nonprofit itself homeless for the past month.
At a VVHC fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 5, VVHC Director Raena Avalon was able to announce that the wayward drop-in center had found a new location, at 654 N. Main St., at the intersection with N. 10th St. The coalition hopes to move into the location on Nov. 1 or earlier if they can manage it.
The new location is the property of Cornville resident Ruth Cheneweth, who had previously operated the Arizona Food Bank out of the building until closing a few years ago. The building has been mostly unused in the time since, and though Cheneweth had hoped to sell in the future, she offered it instead to the VVHC as a new location. Though Chenoweth initially offered the location to VVHC free of charge, the coalition has offered to pay for utilities at the very least.
“It’s always been used as service to others, and when she realized that the Verde Valley Homeless Coalition was really in a tough place in trying to find a new home, she just stepped up and said, ‘I have this building that is just sitting here,’” Carol Quasula, a VVHC board member who has known and worked alongside Cheneweth for years, said. “I can attest to what a kind, caring person Ruth is. She does it because it needs to be done for those who are less fortunate. She saw a need, so she stepped up.”
“Carol and I have been friends for many years,” Chenoweth wrote in an email. “We are currently working to make the Verde Valley Homeless Coalition a reality. I have an available building to use as a shelter when the temperature falls below 35 degrees.. I’m very pleased that we have found a solution to this much needed situation.”
VVHC sees the location as ideal, since it is close to the area where much of the homeless population spends their time, is set somewhat back from the street, is on the bus route and is larger than what they had used before.
“We will be allowed to house 20 people per emergency overnight as opposed to last year’s 12,” Avalon wrote in an email. “Next week we will begin the process of applying for a Conditional Use Permit. We see this as a long-term solution alleviating the effects of homelessness and are so grateful for Ruth’s foresight and generous spirit. She truly wants to benefit and bless the community.”
Correction: The print version of this article mispelled Ruth Cheneweth’s name.
