CLASS PROJECT
 

2009 MESA LEADERSHIP CLASS
GIVES GIFT FROM THE HEART ON VALENTINE’S DAY
Rob Johnson, Class 2009

 When members of the Mesa Leadership Training and Development Program Class 2009 toured the House of Refuge East (HRE), a transitional housing community started in 1996 utilizing the old Air Force homes at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, they knew exactly what they wanted to do for their class project: Throw a party on Valentine’s Day to stock the charity’s community center cupboards.

 One of the 2009 MLTD class members, Rob Johnson, works for Bashas’.  As he toured the House of Refuge and saw the nearly bare pantry in its donation center, he started thinking of all the vendor-supplied samples that the Bashas’ buying team has access to.  Next thing you know, Bashas’ got on board and started accumulating these samples in a Bashas’ trailer.  By the time they were done, they’d collected quite a lot of items.”

 Early on Saturday, February 14^th, a Bashas’ truck driver hauled the trailer to HRE’s community center.  At 9:00 a.m., members of the 2009 MLTD class arrived and offloaded the goods.  Donated items ranged from sports drinks and snacks to laundry detergent, foil cook pans and school notebooks.  At an earlier date, class members had assembled 80-some “care packages” (one for each home) out of the school supplies and health/beauty care items Bashas’ collected.  The care packages—stuffed into reusable cloth Bashas’ grocery bags—filled an entire room in the community center.  HRE staff later delivered one care package to each home.

 After the truck was empty, the MLTD class hosted a party for HRE residents from 10:00 to noon.  Class member Theresa James provided a bouncy house (a huge hit with the younger kids), while class member Armondo Barry supplied a fully-stocked craft station at which kids made their own Valentine’s Day cards.  MLTD-er Brenda Laufer brought cookie-decorating supplies so kids could frost and decorate 60 Bashas’-supplied heart-shaped cookies.

 Young and old alike enjoyed the presence of five members of the ASU Spirit Squad.  The cheerleaders really got into the event, helping kids with crafts, teaching the smaller girls to cheer, and even cheering for a pick-up touch football game.  For some of the teenaged boys, the highlight of the day was getting the cheerleaders into a vigorous game of volleyball.

In the end, HRE truly appreciated the event.  “My position at House of Refuge provides me a sweet and gentle reminder daily of the goodness which exists in our community,” said Kimberly Nuzman, Director of Marketing and Development for House of Refuge.  “We are truly grateful to the 2009 Mesa Leadership Training and Development class as well as Bashas’ for sharing their hearts and providing hope to our families this Valentine’s Day.”

 House of Refuge is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that has provided transitional housing and supportive services to individuals and families who are coming out of homelessness since 1996.  HRE has served over 3000 people or roughly 1000 families since its inception. Program participants can stay at HRE for up to two years as long as eligibility and requirements are maintained.  All case plans are designed with an emphasis on targeting the root cause of each individual’s homeless situation.  Every resident receives services to help prepare them to make the transition to permanent housing and independent living. For more information, visit www.hreast.org.

Bashas’ Family of Stores is an Arizona-based, family-owned and -operated grocer founded 77 years ago by brothers Ike and Eddie Basha, Sr.  With more than 13,000 employees and 160 stores, it is the 12^th largest employer in the state, and one of the Best Places to Work in Arizona.  Since the company’s inception in 1932, Bashas’ has given back more than $100 million to the communities it serves.  For more information, visit www.bashas.com.