Past Spotlights

Empowerment Systems - JULY 2024 - Community Spotlight

Empowerment Systems offers a wonderful resource for the AJ community including a resource center with computers, printers, etc for those needing to submit applications, print resumes or just check their email; assistance applying for a state ID and all forms of state assistance; and caseworkers to help navigate and remove barriers to employment, housing, treatment, etc.  Empowerment Systems is a part of Community Cares giving them access to additional referral resources.

Angelina Alfanso is a social worker who has quickly immersed herself in this work and in our community.  She has supported StandUP AJ in numerous ways.  She works with student interns and very willingly shares them with us.  One such intern, Quinten,  attended one of our events and taught the youth a breathing technique they can use when they feel stressed, angry or frustrated

Deke Beveridge is the CEO of Empowerment Systems and has provided fundamental and foundational support for StandUP AJ.  Thanks to his unwavering support, Empowerment Systems is our fiscal agency for our state grant funds and donations as well as our landlord for our wonderful office space

Carol "Crickett" Solaiza - Member Spotlight - FEB 2023

Crickett joined our efforts very early on. She trained in Kids at Hope and has a personal Kids at Hope success story. Crickett has been there for ANYTHING asked of her from covering tables at events, passing out flyers into the community, and even going to NCA with Shelly next week. She is truly an irreplaceable resource for StandUP AJ.

Carl Halperin - Member Spotlight - JAN 2023

Carl has been the DARE officer for several years now.  He has a true sense of the pulse of youth in AJ and relates well with the students.  His suggestion for the school district to host Steered Straight presentation resulted in an amazing resource for the school district and community in the area of preventing substance use among youth.

Jeffrey Mitchell - Member Spotlight - AUG 2022

Jeffrey Mitchell is a business representative with his cleaning and detailing business, Freshen Up. He is the chair of AJ's Health and Human Services Board and also represents the Rotary Club and Kiwanis. His ideas such as Battle of the Badges have served to move the coalition forward in many ways. Some of his ideas are still in talking stages but are sound ideas that are exciting to plan. We are blessed to have him on the coalition!

What do you think has been the key to your success?

I would say the Secret to Success is to know my strengths and to lean into what I am good at. A few years ago, I took the Strengthsfinder 2.0 Test and know that I tend to be good at Planning and Organizing as part of the Strategic skill set. But I must say that nothing I do would be possible without a strong support team, notably my Wife of 12+ years, Sabrina Mitchell and my friend/employee Brandon Anthony.

What message do you have for adults or youth who may be struggling with things right now?

Struggling is just part of the process. If something is easy, it is probably not worth doing. Things will get better. There once was a story I read about a man who bought land and mined for gold. It was a difficult process, and he finally gave up after nearly going bankrupt. The next person who came in only had to drill down 3 feet to find gold. The moral, "Do not stop 3 feet from the Gold". I also heard this quote once; "The view from the mountaintop is nice, but the flowers grow in the valley".

AJ Parks and Recreation - Community Spotlight - MAR 2023 Why Are We Spotlighting Them? 

HUGE protective factor in AJFocus is on family and wellnessProvides tons of quality events and programs for all agesEvents are not only fun but details are so well thought out!Award winning - they received several awards at the state conference last fall They support StandUP AJ by providing a location for our meetings until recently and our Second Saturday events which require different setups depending on the month and what we are doingTheir staff is so accommodating and they do all the prep with a smile

 About Parks & Rec​"The City of Apache Junction strives to operate an integrated, efficient, and safe system of parks, trails, and recreational facilities.  As you enjoy Apache Junction's many diverse parks and indoor facilities, please help us protect park property, respect the rights of others, and comply with all park regulations. For questions or information about reserving a facility please call (480) 474-5133 or check our Facility Rentals site for more information on fees and procedures. All reservations must be made in person at the Multi-Generational Center located at 1035 N Idaho Rd."

JJ Underwood - Member Spotlight - FEB2023

JJ has been a part of the coalition since its inception in July of 2020. He is always quick to respond to any needs we may have and has assisted us in getting included in community events​JJ is responsible for the $1000 in unrestricted funds we have right now because he suggested us as a recipient when another coalition with similar goals was disbanding and dispersing their funds. His ongoing effort and support of StandUP AJ has been amazing and is so appreciated!

What do you think has been the key to your success?

Hard work and A LOT of independent strong women telling me what to do personally and professionally.

What message do you have for adults or youth who may be struggling with things right now?

Its just a bad day, not a bad life!

What color would you choose to represent you or your organization? 

Blue. At least according to the internet.

Hope Women's Center - Community Spotlight - OCT 2022

What Are They?

They are a faith based, trauma informed, non-profit organization that provides vulnerable women and teen girls with education, mentoring, and support.​​Their MissionTo engage, encourage, and equip vulnerable women and teen girls by providing support for their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Our goal is to equip women in building healthy relationships, bring healing and wholeness to traumatized lives, and help women discover their true value and worth.​

More About Hope's Women Cent..

Hope Women’s Center was founded in 1984 as a small crisis pregnancy center in Apache Junction. Today, Hope is a safe place for women and teen girls facing any difficult life situation, with additional centers in the underserved communities of Phoenix, Camp Verde (serving Northern Arizona), Coolidge, Maricopa, and the West Valley. Hope Women’s Center provides care to women and teenage girls struggling with abuse, poverty, unplanned pregnancy, substance use disorder, emotional distress, family conflict, trafficking, or DCS intervention. Being trauma-informed, our programs are holistically designed to address the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of each client. We offer one-on-one mentoring, educational programs and support groups, crisis counseling, material assistance, and community resource referrals.

Hope’s caring approach is relational and holistic, supporting the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of every woman. Our classes and support groups help women grow and make positive change. Our one-on-one mentoring helps women heal and move forward. Material and utility assistance help make ends meet.

Hope Women's Center

Check out their website at hopewomenscenter.org/apache-junction/

Melissa McKinney - Member Spotlight - AUG 2022

Melissa McKinney has been such a wonderful addition to StandUP AJ! She has lots of ideas for connecting with youth and has volunteered to obtain training for Too Good for Drugs High School which will be offered to high schoolers in AJ throughout the school year!

What do you think has been the key to your success?

I try to always show compassion, empathy, and see situations from others point of views.

I naturally am solution- focused vs. problem-focused

I question everything if I do not understand.

I try to learn something new every day and am a strong supporter of continued education.

I am always looking to build relationships and networking.

What message do you have for adults or youth who may be struggling with things right now?

First, ask if the person wants comfort or solutions. If comfort is the answer, then through active listening, without judgement, in a “meet me where I’m at style” I would build a rapport. If solutions is the answer, through motivational interviewing, I would help the person create attainable, realistic, short-term goals and assist the person in developing a plan to achieve these goals.

Richard Dyer - Member Spotlight - APR 2023

Richard has been involved from the beginning and has served as our media sector rep. He has helped spread the word about our funding, take back days, and events. Most recently Richard directed his readers to our webpage and phone number as a resource for Narcan and fentanyl. He helps out as available at community events if he is covering them

Angels on Patrol - Community Spotlight - JAN 2023

Who Are They?

Angels on Patrol was founded in 2009, by Phoenix Police Lt. Jacqui MacConnell after rescuing three children in one of the most horrific abuse cases she had ever experienced in her career as a police officer. Since then, more than 18,000 lives have been touched by Angels on Patrol, with approximately 2,300 people helped each year in cities across the Valley. 

What They Do  

Through officer-initiated requests, Angels on Patrol moves families from crisis to stability by securing safety, providing emergent basic needs and connection to long-term community resources. Angels on Patrol also supports officer-run Youth Enrichment leadership programs and activities.

Sierra Bes - Member Spotlight - OCT 2022

Member Spotlight Sierra is our Civic Volunteer Organization sector representative.  She represents CAAFA/A New Leaf on the coalition.  Her steadfast dedication to bringing resources into the community is evident in her presence at community events.  She is always there proving her passion for helping those in the community that are vulnerable and needing help. 

 

Sierra has not only well represented her organization at community events, but together with CAAFA/A New Leaf, she has also hosted community events such as a Holiday Craft Event and the Domestic Violence Awareness Walk coming up on Oct 15th. She is a long standing member of the coalition and can always be counted on for whatever is needed!

Q&A

What do you think has been the key to your success?

Making myself open and available to learning wherever I go and listening to the survivors that I serve, has taught me how to be a better advocate and what I am capable of achieving in my community with the support of my neighbors and other service providers. Given that October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I want to emphasize that the biggest wins I have seen in supporting survivors of DV have been a collaborative effort between more than one agency and the survivor, themselves. Everyone deserves safety and respect from their partner and when all of us work together, we can be one, loud, relentless voice in the face of domestic violence. 

What message do you have for adults or youth who may be struggling with things right now?

If you or someone you know is experiencing any form of domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233. For local support please contact (480) 890-3039 to connect with A New Leaf's SAFEDVS Hotline. It is a 24/7 hotline answered by passionate, trauma-informed case managers who are ready to help. Additionally, A New Leaf has a 24-hour helpline for survivors of sexual violence, which can be reached at (480) 733-3028. For any teens in need of help, please speak to a peer counselor by calling Teen Lifeline at (602) 248-8336. For teens who are feeling unsafe in a relationship or at home, please contact BLOOM365's helpline at (888) 606-4673. You are not alone, it is not your fault, and there is help and support in your community.

Ace Hardware - Community Spotlight - AUG 2022


StandUp AJ would like to present...
Kabat's Frontier Ace Hardware


Kabat's Frontier Ace Hardware Page
Kabat's Frontier Ace Hardware
Kabat's Frontier Ace Hardware has been a source of support for the community of Apache Junction through supplying materials for community improvement projects such as fencing materials for the community garden and paint for the Rotary Club to repaint lines for the high school parking lot!

We love that Ace's philosophy revolves around them being a good neighbor to their community, that they are not "just" in the hardware business. The best part? They prove it with their actions by volunteering within the community. We are thrilled to highlight them this month for all they do!

What do you think has been the key to your success?

“We are not in the Hardware business, we are in the people business. The guests we help in the stores, are the people who provide us the opportunity; to help support the community.”

-Joseph Burks (Director of Sales and Marketing)
​
“Meet 1 goal per day, so your not over whelmed. 1 Goal is a achievable.”

Evelyn Pruss (Hope for Prisoners program)

What message do you have for adults or youth who may be struggling with things right now?

“Be your own hero, visualize the best version of yourself and aspire to be that person. That way you always have someone to keep chasing, and improve on.”
​
-Joseph Burks (Director of Sales and Marketing)
​
“The progress you already have made will remain, no matter what other challenges remain”

“As of present day you have survived 100 per cent of all your bad days.”

“You are not alone there is some one to always talk to, even people you don’t expect.”
​
-Evelyn Pruss (Hope for Prisoners program)