Make a meaningful impact in the lives of our neighbors in need by embracing Healthy Giving. This smart, compassionate approach to helping others focuses on contributing to long-term solutions that create lasting change.
Giving With Greater Impact
Healthy Giving means donating to trusted organizations that have the resources and expertise to connect individuals with the services they need—like a roof over their head, a hot meal, clothing, help finding a job, or access to substance use recovery. It’s a way to show you care while ensuring that your generosity has a meaningful and sustainable impact. When you give through established groups, your support goes further, and your contribution helps rebuild and save lives.
How You Give Matters
Giving outside of trusted channels can sometimes make it harder for people to get the support they really need. In 2023, the City of Phoenix lost more than 1,000 lives to overdose. 60 percent of all drug-related deaths involve fentanyl. In Maricopa County, more than three people die every day on average due to fentanyl, with the concentration of these overdoses occurring within the city of Phoenix. Fentanyl costs $2 or less per pill- less than a cup of coffee. In the face of a crisis as dangerous as the overdose epidemic, thoughtful giving can make all the difference. Fentanyl is claiming lives at an alarming rate, but other drugs, such as meth and cocaine, which sell in Phoenix for as little as $20, can be just as accessible and deadly. By giving through established organizations, your kindness becomes a force for real solutions, connecting people with trained professionals, life-saving resources, and a pathway to stability and recovery. One pill can kill, but one act of Healthy Giving can save a life.
Two New Ways to Be a Healthy Giver
The City of Phoenix is pleased to announce two new ways for you to give in a healthy way. Residents who want to help can give back to the Phoenix Navigation Center and the Safe Outdoor Space.
Community members are encouraged to give any of the following items:
- Prepackaged non-perishable food (beverages/water bottles, electrolyte packets, bagged snacks, etc.)
- Meals prepared in a certified commercial kitchen
- Unopened toiletries and hygiene products
- Pet food and supplies
To help us better manage and direct donations, a form must be completed prior to scheduling a drop-off. Forms are available online.
Be a Healthy Giver
Your kindness can change lives, especially when it’s directed where it makes the greatest impact. Together, we can make a difference. You can help prevent overdoses, provide life-changing resources, and be a part of a community-wide effort to create lasting change.
Find more donation and volunteer opportunities through trusted local partners at givesmartaz.org.
