December 2022 Newsletter
A New Leaf
Dedicated to helping end homelessness, domestic violence, poverty, and other community challenges in Arizona.
Happy Holidays!
Your kindness and support of A New Leaf has been transforming lives this year. Thanks to people like you, families facing homelessness have been able to find shelter and support. Survivors of domestic violence have found safety as they heal from trauma and work towards independence. People facing a crisis situation have gotten the support they need to get through.
Kirsten is a great example of how your support changes lives. A veteran and mother, she came back from deployment only to face domestic violence in her own home. Thanks to supporters like you, Kirsten was able to find safety and shelter with her 4 children. You can read her full story below.
You’ve truly been changing lives right here in your local community by making donations, volunteering your time, sharing services with those in need, and so much more! Take a moment before the year ends to reflect on all the good you’ve done. You deserve it.
And even more exciting, there are always more opportunities for you to change another life before the year ends. You can make an Arizona Charitable Tax Credit donation, you can drop by urgent needed items as a donation, and you can always volunteer to serve a meal at a shelter.
Also remember! A generous donor has stepped up to DOUBLE any donation you make before December 31st, 2022. You can help TWICE as many families by making a donation today through our website. If you plan to make a donation this month, make sure to take advantage of this opportunity!
If you are able to help by making a donation, please know that we are so deeply thankful for your support. Enjoy the holiday season. From the entire team at A New Leaf, we wish you the very best.
Sincerely,
December 2022 Impact News: You Saved Kirsten, A Veteran, From Abuse
Kirsten is a proud veteran, and a strong woman. But when she faced domestic violence, she felt alone. Thanks to supporters like you, Kirsten got life-saving support and shelter when she decided to leave her violent husband. You helped protect her, and her children.
Kirsten is a proud veteran, having been deployed into war zones several times. After completing 2 tours, Kirsten decided that she wanted to settle down and start a family. She had spent most of her early 20’s traveling and in active combat zones, so she wanted a big change in her life.
After getting married, Kirsten started her family and soon had 4 young children. While he was great at first, her husband began to change as their children got older, his patience got thinner and he was prone to yelling. While Kirsten didn’t like the idea of yelling as a parent, she thought they could work through the issues.
The first night Kirsten’s husband hit their oldest daughter, she took all four kids and went to stay with her parents. She was shocked that the father of her children would do such a thing. But after a few days had gone by, she decided to make it work with him. Divorce seemed like such a huge and scary step to take so quickly.
When Kirsten came home, everything was different. Her husband threatened her daily that if she ever left him again he would hurt her and the children. He kept a tracker on her cellphone, never let her be alone with the kids, and was verbally and physically abusive. For a few weeks the shock, embarrassment, and fear kept Kirsten trapped. She felt in a constant state of panic and struggled to plan for the future as she simply tried to keep her family together.
After a month Kirsten set plans in motion to safely leave. She called A New Leaf’s Domestic Violence Hotline and scheduled an intake so that she could stay in shelter with her children. When her husband was away for the night on a work trip, Kirsten packed everything she could fit in her car and left with her four children.
She entered A New Leaf’s Faith House Domestic Violence Shelter that night, and in the morning met with her personal advocate. Together, Kirsten and her advocate enrolled her oldest daughter in school and obtained childcare for her 3 younger children. Within a week Kirsten found a new job as a full-time certified caregiver that would provide enough money for her to achieve independence.
Kirsten saved money for their new home and began to pay off some small debts so she would be able to keep up with bills. She used many tools she learned from financial literacy classes offered at the shelter to help survivors transition to safe housing.
After working with her advocate on finding affordable housing, Kirsten found subsidized housing for veterans that would help her pay rent. After several months of hard work, saving, and planning Kirsten and her children successfully moved into their subsidized apartment. She is now able to provide for her children, keep a stable home, and will never have to worry about the safety of her children again.
November 2022 Volunteer News: A Special Awardee and New Opportunities
Maddie Orgen of Alpha Chi Omega Wins Outstanding Youth Philanthropist
A New Leaf nominated Maddie Orgen for Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Arizona Chapter’s award of Outstanding Youth Philanthropist for the 38th Annual National Philanthropy and Leadership Awards Luncheon. Thanks to her incredible work with ASU’s Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, Maddie won this coveted award for the 2022 season!
Maddie strives to achieve incredible results, and always delivers on her goals. Each year Alpha Chi Omega raises funds to support Autumn House Domestic Violence Shelter in the East Valley. A New Leaf challenged Maddie and her sorority to raise $20,000 and she raised over $32,000!
And Maddie’s ambitious generosity doesn’t end there. A New Leaf challenged her to collect 300 jars of peanut butter and jelly for local shelters. Her team collected 2,750 jars. She has worked with Alpha Chi Omega to volunteer hundreds of hours at multiple events and programs. She never stops.
Maddie has the grace, confidence, and leadership to do incredible things in her future. We believe that young leaders like her will change the world. Congratulations Maddie, A New Leaf is so thankful to have been a partner on your journey to make the world a better place.
Berge Toyota Donates to Honor Veterans
Veteran’s Day was busy, thanks to the generosity of Berge Toyota! This wonderful community partner donated food, time, and kindness to veterans at A New Leaf’s Desert Leaf Apartments, which houses those recovering from homelessness and other challenges.
Respecting our veterans and helping them reintegrate into society is critical. Berge Toyota and A New Leaf believe that no one who has served their country should be forced to experience homelessness.
Ongoing Volunteer Results and Opportunities
If you are interested in participating in other volunteer opportunities, we are currently recruiting for the following ongoing roles:
· West Valley VITA Volunteers ·
· Shelter Support at the East Valley Men’s Center ·
· Administrative Volunteers ·
· MSW and BSW Field Instructor Volunteer Supervisors for Intern Supervision ·
· Special Project and Special Event Volunteers ·
A New Leaf welcomes anyone interested in serving their community to join us at one of our many program locations across the Valley. As a volunteer you will be making a direct impact in the lives of families and individuals in crisis. Please submit an application through our website or email us at Volunteer@turnanewleaf.org.
December 2022 Donation Center News: Household Items Urgently Needed
This December, you can provide life-changing support to those experiencing homelessness by donating basic household items like bath towels, sheets, pots and pans, cleaning supplies, and more! During this season, these are the items that are needed most and donated least. You can make a direct impact in the life of someone in need by donating one of these items to A New Leaf! Examples of the most needed items include:
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Homelessness and domestic violence are often worst during the holidays, especially for families. Generous supporters like you are often the only reason these households get the safety, food, clothing, and basic needs they require to get through the holidays. Donating items is the most direct way to help those experiencing a crisis!
You can be a hero to your community by making sure these items are in stock for families overcoming homelessness and domestic violence. These simple household items can make a huge impact in the life of a family moving into a new home without any possessions.
December 2022 Donor News: Year-end Giving Deadlines for 2022
Year-end Giving Deadlines for 2022
As you plan your year-end donations, you may want to make note of these important dates to ensure that your gift qualifies for the federal income tax charitable deduction in 2022:
Deanne gives back because it makes sense for her finances!
Deanne cares deeply about helping families experiencing homelessness, and she has been sending a check to A New Leaf every December for years. Last year her CPA suggested that she give from her IRA instead of writing checks from her bank account. This enabled Deanne to avoid taxes on income that she didn’t need, while increasing her annual donation and making a greater impact.
When she updated her estate plan, Deanne also chose to name A New Leaf as a charitable beneficiary for a percentage of her IRA. Because retirement funds are heavily taxed when left to heirs, she has chosen to leave other assets to her loved ones.
Does giving from your IRA make sense for you?
Did you know you can give to your favorite charities directly from your IRA? If you’re age 70½ or older, making a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from your IRA is a smart way to support A New Leaf. And, if you’re age 72 years or older, a QCD can help satisfy your annual required minimum distribution.
By not taking all or a portion of the required minimum distribution and donating it directly to A New Leaf instead, you avoid tax on the income. You may give up to $100,000 in qualified charitable distributions annually.
Make a Gift to Your Community Today
At year-end and throughout the year, our Philanthropy team is here to assist with your charitable gift planning strategies. For more information please contact Brad Harris, Senior Director of Estate and Gift Planning, at (602) 320-1185 or bharris@turnanewleaf.org.
This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please consult an attorney or financial advisor to determine which strategies are best suited to your circumstances.
December 2022 Community Partner News: State Farm Steps Up
Do you know someone in crisis? Maybe a family member, friend, or neighbor experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, mental health challenges, or some other crisis? What about a coworker? Chances are, the answer is YES. Most of us see our coworkers more hours a week than we do our friends and extended family members. When we pass them in the hall we smile and say, “good morning, how are you?” The expected response is “I’m good, how are you?”
We wouldn’t expect them to respond with things like, “I’m scared of my husband because he is really controlling and has become violent with me,” or “I think I’m going to get evicted from my apartment because my landlord just raised my rent by almost 50%.” Although coworkers aren’t always open about their personal struggles, we often see signs and supervisors, especially may be in positions where they need to address a concern.
Most companies are experiencing significant staffing challenges, including recruitment and retention. A lot of times, those challenges stem from the hardships people are experiencing in their personal lives and living situations. To better support their employees, companies are learning that they need to be aware of community resources and how to connect employees in crisis to them.
State Farm Helps Employees Access Life-Saving Community Services
State Farm is recognized as one of the best companies to work with in the Phoenix metro area. From compensation rates, professional development opportunities, paid time for volunteering, and other benefits, State Farm takes care of their employees.
State Farm is also helping employees tackle tough social issues with access to resources to overcome challenges. The Marina Heights office in Tempe, which employees around 6,600 people, has had a long and meaningful partnership with A New Leaf. This past October, A New Leaf was invited to facilitate a social services resource fair on site for employees, with program staff from ten different service areas there to talk about their programs and how to access services.
Additionally, State Farm has supported A New Leaf for 15 years with grant and employee match funding totaling over $450,000 for programs serving people in need in our community. Employees donate their time and skills every year to enhance services and accomplish activities that would not be possible without their support. The company and its employees also generously donate vital supplies and resources including technology and furnishings that are being replaced, and though employee donation drives which can get quite competitive and spirited.
A New Leaf is grateful to State Farm for their support and for helping to build awareness of services for their own employees who are experiencing a crisis. For more information, please contact Laura Bode, Director of Community Engagement, at lbode@turnanewleaf.org.
December 2022 A New Leaf Events: Breaking Ground and Camaraderie 2023
A New Leaf has officially broken ground on the new West Valley Housing Assistance Center, which will have 7 shelter units for families and individuals experiencing homelessness! These shelter units will open to the public in Spring 2023.
Over 100 people came together from across the West Valley to welcome this new shelter into the community. Leadership from Surprise, Peoria, Sun City, the Arizona Department of Housing, and many other partners were present to show their support for this project.
Excitingly, A New Leaf’s West Valley Housing Assistance Center is currently operating a housing resource and referral center for families who are at risk of, or are currently experiencing, homelessness. This program will prevent homelessness by connecting families to resources that will keep them in their homes, or help them to find new, more affordable homes.
Save the Date: Camaraderie 2023
It is our pleasure to invite you to A New Leaf’s 2023 Camaraderie Gala, benefitting survivors of domestic violence and families experiencing homelessness. All proceeds from this event will go to support A New Leaf’s life-saving shelter programs, support programs, and more. Every attendee will be directly changing the life of someone in need, right in our local community.
You can view event details and register for this event below:
Camaraderie 2023
Contact Kelly Snyder at ksynder@turnanewleaf.org or 480-464-4648 if you would like to get more involved, sponsor the event, or if you have any questions.