PHOENIX — A bed, a toy, and a play area are things that can be found in a kid’s bedroom. But one "bedroom" in Phoenix is unlike any child’s room.
Its four walls are not found in a home, instead, they are in a church’s parking lot.
The improvised bedroom is part of the initiative SafeLots, a program that aims to help women and their children who are unsheltered and are living in their cars. The goal is to provide them with a safe place to sleep at night and provide services to help get them back on their feet.
Pure Heart Church’s Pastor Bob Hake, who is also the founder of LifeBridge Community Alliance, is spearheading the project, that was launched at a Valley’s church whose location is not being publicized for the safety of the guests.
“I would call this location a respite,” the pastor told 12News. “It’s a place where they can get some much-needed rest. They are in survival mode hour by hour and here they can gain their energy.”
At the start of the year, Maricopa County had about 9,700 people who didn’t have a place to call home. About 5,000 of those were unsheltered or were living on the streets. Around 30% of those were women, who often live in their cars and have children with them.
“We know that across Maricopa County on any given night there are 3,000 women who are unsheltered, and linked to those women, are their 1,200 children,” Hake said. “We can do something about that, that’s why we're here.”
Data shows the number of homeless families rose 14% in the last six years.
“80% of them are actually homeless for the first time within 45 to 60 days,” the pastor said. “70% of them are currently employed to some degree. These are some of the most courageous, resourceful, some of the most amazing young ladies I’ve ever met in my entire life.”
At the parking lot, families will also have access to hot showers, food, and a place to do laundry. While the effort is not a solution to the homeless crisis, Pastor Hake believes it’s a start.
“We want to give them help for today, which leads to hope for tomorrow, but the ultimate end goal that we have is a home for their future,” Hake said. “This is temporary.”
Women and children can stay at the SafeLot from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. Friday through Sunday. The program currently has five covered shelter spaces and plans to double its capacity in the future.
Pastor Hake said the whole project had been volunteer- and sponsored-based. The goal is to have five SafeLots across the Valley and help different demographics, like veterans and elderly residents who are living out of their cars.
The SafeLots have security and the first location will eventually also house a dog pen, for those families with pets.
There are about 20 communities across the U.S. that host safe parking programs, according to SafeLots. The organizers interviewed six locations by phone and completed 11 site tours in Seattle to get the Arizona location up and running.
According to SafeLots findings of the programs nationwide, 50% of the safe parking guests were assisted with permanent housing placement within 60 to 90 days. Only 20% return to the safe parking program for a second time and 1% a third time.
Anyone in need of these services or would like to donate and volunteer, can find information here or email Steven@LifeBridgeAZ.org.
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