“We have so many families that are coming in our doors who are experiencing crises every single day,” said Donor Program Manager for St. Vincent De Paul, Jasmine Smalls.
The non-profit’s goal is to help each other.
Concerned about evictions, St. Vincent De Paul started trying to come up with new ways to lend a hand a few years ago.
“It wasn't until the pandemic when we really saw like, wow, this is really going to be a crisis that we see in our community,” said Smalls.
At that time, they launched a program called “Angels on Call” by calling donors over the phone.
A few years later, people can now donate in just seconds.
Donors can become angels by giving back. When they do, they are matched with someone in need.
“It matches our donors one-to-one with an individual in need,” said Smalls.
An app launched months ago, and Smalls said it's already raised more than $55,000 and helped hundreds of people.
The app is said to give a description of what that person is experiencing to users.
Donors will mainly help with housing and utility assistance with the hope of avoiding eviction.
“We are seeing more and more homelessness on our streets,” said Smalls. “We know it’s an issue, but I don't think that people truly understand how one simple crisis can really affect a family.”
Between 2020 and 2022, the annual point-in-time count showed a 22% increase in the total number of people experiencing homelessness here in Maricopa County. About 550 families were a part of the over 9,000 people counted in 2022.
“I think a lot of people think they have to give a lot of money to help, and a small donation can go a long way,” said Smalls.
She’s hoping to grow the app one donation at a time.
To download and give back, head to the Google or Apple app stores.
