EL MIRAGE, AZ — Fourteen thousand, two hundred thirty-seven — that's the number of people currently experiencing homelessness, according to data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD.
But there is a ministry on the move that wants to change that — volunteers with Desert Cove SDA Church in El Mirage are hitting the streets, quite literally, and advocating for people experiencing homelessness, handing out food and clothing, and connecting them with vital resources.
A never-ending flurry of traffic at 83rd Avenue and Camelback Road is what Sarah hears most days. It's a far cry from where she once was.
"I used to make meals for the homeless," Sarah says. "I'd go out there, and say, 'Hey! Let's go take a shower. Let's go.'"
But now, Sarah is the one who needs the help.
"I just get judged every single day," Sarah said.
Sarah tells ABC15 that health issues have left her unable to work, which is how she ended up camping out at the Glendale intersection with her dog, a few belongings, and not much else.
She described to ABC15's Nick Ciletti the hardest part of living on the streets.
"Just people saying, 'Oh, you do drugs.' And no I don't. I'm out here because of my health. I can't change that."
"These issues impact every one of us at some level," explains Sandy Emery from Desert Cove SDA Church.
Sandy sees it up close three days a week with her mobile ministry; she's part of a group of volunteers from Desert Cove SDA church in El Mirage that searches the streets on a mission.
"Our whole goal is to enable them toward healing - body, mind, and spirit. And so, in order to do that, we need to meet them where they are - with food, with clothing, with sundries, with prayer."
It's part church service, part motivational speech, and part food kitchen.
"I'm a cook. I'm a driver. I'm a prayer warrior. We fill a lot of shoes," explains Sandy. "Every cut. Every slice. Every dice is made with pure love."
Recently, ABC15 followed along with Sandy's group to see them in action, handing out hot meals, hats, and most importantly, hope.
"It's actually great to have a home-cooked meal once in a while. It feels awesome," explains Sarah.
It may just be one meal, but for a moment, Sarah can forget about the dilemmas of the day and focus on a path forward.
"Does this kind of restore your faith in humanity a little bit?" Ciletti asked.
"A little bit. But you know what? As my hat says, I am blessed every day I wake up. And I am blessed throughout the day as well," Sarah responded.
"During the day, when we hug them and hold them and tell them we love them, it's not until at night when we go home that it hits us," says Sandy. "Here we are with a roof over our head and food in our belly, clothing on our back, and they're so grateful for the little bit that they get, and they say 'god bless you.' And we are blessed over and over again."
To learn more about Desert Cove SDA's homeless ministry and to donate, head to their website.
