Friends At First Mesa

We are incredibly grateful to the amazing congregation of St. Matthew United Methodist Church for their generous donation of bottled water! This incredible truckload gift of cases of water will be a lifesaver for the homeless populations we serve at our Cool Down Room.

Every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 12-3 pm, we offer clothing, showers, a blessing bag and place to cool down for anyone in need. With the scorching summer heat here, staying hydrated is crucial. This water donation will ensure our visitors have access to this vital resource.

Thank you, St. Matthew UMC, for your compassion and commitment to helping those in our community who need it most. Your generosity will make a real difference in the lives of many!

Yesterday’s official recap from General Conference

GC2020 Daily Wrap-up: April 25, 2024 Find out what happened during the third day of the postponed 2020 General Conference!0:33 Worship0:54 Clothes as a form of witness1:29 Eurasian conferences e...

A huge thanks to our LDS friends at Just Serve for the generous surprise donation for our blessing bag ministry this week! So far this year, we have handed out over 425 blessing bags to help feed those in need in our community! We are always happy to receive donations to help fill our blessing bags. If you would like to help with a donation, we are currently looking for the following items:
Fruit snacks
Pudding cups
Fruit cups
Chicken salad kits
Tuna salad kits
Cases of small Gatorade bottles
If you would prefer to help with a monetary donation, you can place a donation in the offering plate on Sundays and notate Friends@First on your donation.

A huge shout out to Terry Blaker for putting his time and heart into fixing and painting the picnic table in front of the Outreach Center for our Friends@First clients!!! It was a wonderful surprise!! Thank you so very much for taking the time to bring joy to others!!

The Cool Down Room including the clothing closet, and shower program are open on Mondays and Thursdays from 12pm-3pm. Looking to get more involved? Check out: FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst to register to become a volunteer, order from our Amazon Wishlist and more!

Ready for Christmas? Friends@First is getting prepared for the holiday season by collecting art supplies and coloring books for guests to use while they are visiting the Cool Down Room. Our regular visitors have given us some feedback on how meaningful the coloring books and crossword puzzles have been during their time with Friends@First. Those that visit our program often do not have access to things like art supplies or artistic and creative outlets. Our Cool Down Room is designed to be a peaceful place of respite where our unhoused neighbors can feel safe and loved. These gifts of coloring books, colorful markers, pens, crossword and sudoku puzzles are so meaningful for our friends in need. All art supplies and coloring books will be kept at Friends@First for our guests to use while visiting the Cool Down Room.

The Cool Down Room including the clothing closet, and shower program are open on Mondays and Thursdays from 12pm-3pm. Looking to get more involved? Check out: FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst to register to become a volunteer, order from our Amazon Wishlist and more!

Looking for a Thanksgiving Food Box? Check out the Holiday Food Distribution at the ! On Monday November 20th and Weds December 20th the United Food Bank will be offering Holiday Food Boxes starting at 9 am.

Friends @ First Mesa will not be distributing holiday food boxes this season. Friends @ First provides all kinds of resources available for our unhoused neighbors and friends including the Cool Down Room, Showers, and the Adult and Children's Clothing Closet. We also have a Food Pantry available by appointment. The Cool Down Room is open Mondays and Thursdays from 12 pm until 3 pm. We require ID for services. Find out how you can support our outreach program at FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst

The end of Summer and the start of the Fall/Winter season has seen Friends@First busier than ever! Most cool down rooms and heat relief centers close down when the temperatures drop. We pride ourselves in staying open all year round to make sure that our neighbors on the street have somewhere to go to hang out for a few hours, get a shower, a change of clothes, and a blessing bag of food to take with them. Currently we are in need of new packs of white socks. We will also accept donations of colored socks or black socks but plain white socks of all lengths are in the highest demand.
Donations can be dropped off during office hours at FUMC Mesa (mon-thurs, 9 am-3 pm) or when the Cool Down Room is open (mon and thurs, 12 pm - 3 pm). Check out our website for our Amazon wishlist and volunteer registration at firstchurchofmesa.com/friendsAtFirst

Thanks to the Missions Committee, low-income families at Save The Family will have a sweet and spooky Halloween this year!

We have donated candy and pumpkins for their upcoming Halloween festival. This will ensure that all children have a chance to trick-or-treat, enjoy the festivities, and express their creativity!

Who is Save The Family? From their website: “Established in 1988, Save the Family Foundation of Arizona is a leading provider of housing, case management and supportive services to more than 650 homeless and impoverished families annually throughout Maricopa County. We work to equip families to overcome underlying issues that lead to homelessness – ensuring stable homes, safe children and strong families because of our efforts. Join us today to help end family homelessness – volunteer, donate or advocate on behalf of those we serve. We appreciate your interest in Save the Family!”

To learn more about how you can support Save The Family and the families they serve, please visit savethefamily.org

Friends@First is in need of water! With daily temperatures reaching over 115 degrees on a regular basis, water is our greatest asset in providing heat relief for our street friends and neighbors. We are currently accepting donations of cases of bottled water for our Cool Down Room.

Donations can be dropped off during office hours (mon-thurs, 9 am-3 pm)

or when the Cool Down Room is open (mon and thurs, 12 pm - 3 pm).

“For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.” - Mark 9:41

THANK YOU ASU! A huge thank you goes to ASU’s Clean Indoor Air Project for our free, brand new Corsi-Rosenthal Air Filters. These air filters will be placed in the church office, the cool down room and the clothing closet to filter out contaminants that may negatively affect the health of staff, volunteers and the vulnerable populations that visit our outreach center.

According to their website:

“The ASU Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology (AIDE) team led by infectious disease epidemiologist Associate Professor Megan Jehn, identified an innovative DIY solution to clean indoor air (using four filters and a box fan) called the Corsi-Rosenthal (CR) box. The Team tested and deployed this solution across Arizona to slow COVID-19 transmission.

CR boxes have been shown to work as effectively as portable commercial HEPA filters at a fraction of the cost. These units improve indoor air quality and reduce exposure to virus particles by increasing indoor air filtration and ventilation. This simple hands-on public health intervention has an immediate impact on the health of our local community.”

Our Outreach Program including our cool down room, showers, and clothing closet is open from 12 pm - 3pm on Mondays and Thursdays located at 15 e 1st Ave Mesa AZ 85210.

Check out Firstchurchofmesa.com/FriendsAtFirst for more info on how to volunteer, what our current needs are and how you can get involved!

Yesterday Phoenix broke the 18 day record of days over 110 degrees! It looks like we're on track to keep the heat streak going again today. For our street friends and neighbors FriendsAtFirst can be a lifesaving oasis when trying to escape the heat of the day. In our cool down room, FriendsAtFirst provides showers, a change of clothes, a blessing bag and a safe air conditioned space to escape the heat. We are currently in need of single serve or individually wrapped snacks, bottles of water and portable protein like tuna or chicken salad pouches. We also need volunteers! The cool down room is only open Mondays and Thursdays right now but our goal is to open for more days during the week. Serve your community by joining us in providing this life saving program. Let's Beat The Heat!
Check out our website and Amazon wishlist at firstchurchofmesa.com/friendsAtFirst

Did you know that 211 Arizona provides free transportation to cooling centers? On Mondays and Thursdays from 12-3pm FriendsAtFirst provides heat respite in our Cool Down Room, showers, a change of clothes, water and Blessing Bags that contain enough protein and calories for an entire day. We also partner with several other local organizations including and to provide additional services like health screenings, acquiring an ID, job placement resources and more. Having the ability to access these services in the Downtown Mesa Corridor can be life saving for our friends who are unhoused or unsheltered.
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From the 211Arizona.org website: “211 Arizona and Arizona Public Service (APS) have partnered to offer rides to cooling centers, respite centers, and hydration station sites during Arizona’s hot summer months.”
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If you are experiencing any symptoms of heat-related illness or other medical emergency transportation through this program is not advised. If you are experiencing a medical emergency or symptoms of heat-related illness, call 911 right away.
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We are so blessed to be able to provide the cool down room, clothing closet, and showers for our neighbors and friends who are unsheltered. Want to help? Go to FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst to get more details.

#211

FriendsAtFirst Mesa Outreach Program is now partnering with to offer free medical services to those facing homelessness in downtown Mesa! On Thursday July 6th and Thursday July 20th Circle the City will be providing basic medical services including blood pressure checks, blood sugar checks, medication refills, referrals, HIV screening, and colon cancer screenings. We’re so grateful to be working with Circle the City and the East Valley Neighborhood Partnership to enable us to provide these services for individuals facing homelessness in our local

downtown mesa community.

Who is Circle the City? From their website: “Circle the City offers a wide variety of healthcare to meet the individual needs of men, women, and children that are facing homelessness in Maricopa County, Arizona. Services are provided at our Medical Respite Center, and health centers as well as out in the field with our mobile and street medicine teams. Our trained staff is always looking for new and innovative ways to help those in need. Over 10 years of experience and commitment has earned Circle the City recognition for providing healthcare to individuals facing homelessness.”

Learn more about Circle the City at: Circlethecity.org

FriendsAtFirst Welcomes COPA Health to our campus! Starting today COPA health's Mobile Outreach Team will have a table in our Cool Down Room to provide services to those in need. COPA Health navigators will be able to help with applying for ahcccs, enrolling in food stamps, obtaining an ID and more! We are so grateful that the COPA Health Outreach team reached out to us so that we can work together to serve our unsheltered friends in the City of Mesa.

On Mondays and Thursdays from 12-3pm Friends@First Mesa provides an outreach program that includes a Cool Down Room, showers, a change of clothes, and a blessing bag with drinks and snacks. Want to get more information or sign up to volunteer? Check out our website at FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst

Today in Mesa it was over 90 degrees! Heat Related Illness occurs when a person body is overwhelmed by the heat and cannot cool down effectively causing a number of symptoms. Each year in Arizona thousands of people need hospitalization or medical treatment for Heat Related Illnesses. Those who are at high risk for heat related illness include people who have medical conditions, on certain medications, those who are 65 years or older, and those who are unhoused or experiencing homelessness. Our programs including the Cool Down Room are an essential and life saving ministry for our friends on the street who have nowhere to go to get out of the heat. We provide heat respite in our Cool Down Room, a new outfit from our clothing closet, showers and a blessing bag at our location on the campus of First United Methodist Church of Mesa. Check out Firstchurchofmesa.com/FriendsAtFirst for more info on how to volunteer, what our current needs are and how you can get involved!

BINGO! Have fun this summer filling in our mini bingo card! Each spot has a routine task or donation item that supports the programs provided by Friends at First. Volunteer on a Monday, complete Safe Gatherings, even telling a friend about Friends at First can help you complete your card. This Summer when you play, everyone wins!

Its time to chill out! We are officially listed on the Maricopa County Heat Relief Network! The Heat Relief Network is a partnership of the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG), local nonprofits, faith based organizations, and businesses who provide heat relief and related services. We are listed as a Respite Center which means that we offer an indoor, air conditioned space that offer hydration and allow for uninterrupted rest, sitting, or lying down (depending on each facility) during hours of operation. For many of our visitors this is the only safe place that they can cool off and take a nap in safety. We are so blessed to be able to provide the cool down room, clothing closet, and showers for our neighbors and friends who are unsheltered. Want to help? Go to FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst to get more details.

Friends@First is in need of shoes! Every person who visits Friends@First has the opportunity to chill out in our cool down room, take a shower, pick out a new outfit in the Clothing Closet and receive a new pair of shoes if we have them available. Right now we are in need of Men’s sneakers and tennis shoes in sizes 10 and up. Don’t have any gently used men’s shoes at home? Pick up a pair from Goodwill, Walmart, Target or order a pair from our Amazon Wishlist and get them shipped directly to us! Check out the link below for our full list of items that we frequently need to support the programs at Friends@first.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/10QKMOZAG9GQ/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex?

Happy Birthday Tom! Tom is one of our dedicated volunteers who serves in the Cool Down Room. He has also been an active member of the planning committee that helps to oversee and develop our programs at Friends @ First. We're so grateful to have Tom as a part of our team and we wish you a very very happy birthday!!

Anyone can sign up to volunteer with FriendsAtFirstMesa! We are always in need for volunteers who can do intake, oversee the cool down room, assist in the clothing closet, assemble blessing bags, help out with cleaning, pitch in with laundry or otherwise help out with the many tasks that keep Friends@First functioning. Don't worry about training! We'll provide you with everything you'll need to feel comfortable volunteering with our program. No task is too small, every little bit of help can make a difference in someone's life. Sign up today at: FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst

Greetings from the Cool Down Room! Spring has sprung and the heat is officially here! Through the Friends@First Mesa Outreach Program we are able to provide each person in need with a space to cool off in our Cool Down Room, a new outfit from our Clothing Closet, a shower and a blessing bag with enough calories for a full day. Friends@First is always accepting donations to support our programs including: individually wrapped/single serve snacks, cases of bottled sports drinks like gatorade, granola bars, fruit snacks, tuna or chicken salad pouches, fruit snacks, chapstick, water, deodorant, razors, towels, washcloths, mens shirts, men's shorts, men's sneakers, and brand new packs of men's socks and underwear. We also need volunteers! Sign up to serve at: FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsatFirst

Be a blessing this Easter season by helping us fill Blessing Bags! Volunteers at Friends@First fill Blessing Bags to give to our unhoused neighbors in need. Each Blessing Bag contains enough calories for an adult for an entire day. This is a vital program for those who do not know where their next meal is coming from. We collect donations of individually wrapped snacks like cookies and crackers, bottles of sports drinks/gatorade, protein bars, tuna or chicken salad snack pouches, fruit snacks and gallon sized ziploc bags.

And don’t forget the thing we need the most. We need volunteers! We need YOU! Be a blessing this Easter!

"The time is always right to do what is right" Martin Luther King Jr At Friends@First social justice is our top motivator for helping people with all the outreach programs that we do including showers, clothing and food. The time is always right to help those in need. Will you join us? Check out FirstChurchOfMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst for more info on how you can "do what is right".

Have you heard about the shower program at Friends@First? Every week on Mondays and Thursdays from 12-3pm those in need can come to the Outreach Center to receive a change of clothes, a blessing bag and a nice refreshing shower! Showers are done on a walk in basis and time slots cannot be reserved in advance. There are several ways that you can support this vital outreach program including volunteering to serve, and donating hygiene products. You can also donate at the link below: https://app.sharefaith.com/app/giving/firs6957441

FriendsAtFirstMesa is always looking for new volunteers! There are always opportunities for service in our Cool Down Room, Adult Clothing Closet, Children's Clothing Closet and our food pantry. Prior experience is not necessary and we provide training for anyone interested. Check out FirstChurchofMesa.com/FriendsAtFirst or follow the link in our bio to register today!

Join us for Christ in Christmas Celebration Sunday! As the Mission Committee of FUMC we humbly ask for your support through our "Christ in Christmas" offering during the Christmas cantata. Your participation in this offering is participation in our ministries of prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness to the Mesa community and the world at large. Just as God has shown us love by sending the Christ child, we ask that you show your love for God's mission by your gifts. We ask for your help to keep Christ in Christmas.

During The Christ in Christmas worship service on Sunday morning we'll be featuring the Annual Christmas Cantata, a Children's Nativity Procession, and the Missions Committee will be collecting a special offering in the name of Christ for use throughout the year in celebration of Jesus' birth. After Worship we'll be gathering in the Fellowship Hall for a Live Nativity petting zoo, snacks and fellowship!

As the weather cools down The Clothing Closet is still in need of donations! This Winter Donations Checklist has everything we need you to pick up while you finish your holiday shopping. We are currently accepting gifts and donations of all types and sizes of winter jackets, hats, gloves, sleeping blankets, gallon ziploc bags and individually wrapped snacks and food items. We've made a list, checked it twice and now we need your help to make this a warm and merry Christmas for the most vulnerable in Mesa's downtown community. Shopping online? Check out the linktree in our bio for links to our Amazon Wishlist!