Arizona Republic, QuikTrip team up to help get water to homeless youth
July 24, 2015 In a unique partnership, the Arizona Republic and QuikTrip are working together to help deliver much-needed water all summer to the hundreds of young people in Maricopa County who are currently homeless.
Beginning this Sunday (July 26) and running each Sunday through October 4, the Arizona Republic will donate one bottle of water to Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development for every copy of the Sunday Republic sold at a QuikTrip store.
“The Arizona Republic is concerned with making the Metro Phoenix area a safe place for kids,” said Larry Kaiser, Director of Single Copy Sales for the Republic. “In addition to providing needed hydration for homeless teens, this partnership will promote community awareness of Tumbleweed’s mission.”
Based on current sales of the Sunday Republic at QuikTrip stores, the initiative could result in thousands of water bottles being donated each week.
“We take water so much for granted it is hard to imagine being in a position where it is suddenly hard to get,” said Tumbleweed CEO Cynthia Schuler. “But if you are a homeless young person with no money, it is more difficult to find drinking water than you might think. Water contributions are very important to our mission of helping homeless youth.”
QuikTrip has a history of community engagement, especially with Tumbleweed. QuikTrip stores are designated “Safe Place” locations, where people 17 and younger who are in crisis can find immediate help through a 24-hour phone hotline managed by Tumbleweed. Valley Metro Light Rail also makes the hotline available at all light rail stations.
“W are very grateful for the community mindedness of QuikTrip and the tremendous assistance of the Arizona Republic, which has such a long history of making a positive difference in the Valley and Arizona,’ Schuler added.