Tumbleweed center for youth development celebrated its 40^th birthday this week and invited some of the people who are and have been supporters of the organization for years.  Also there was Shirley Agnos who had an idea with the Phoenix Soroptomists organization in 1972.  She and others began planning and opened he first residential facility at 309 W. Portland in a home that still stands. 

it is very interesting looking at the pictures taken then and now.  From that single location serving 12 to 25 youth Tumbleweed has grown with help from supporters to 13 facilities in Tempe and Phoenix. In the first six months of 1975 we served about 100 youth.   The need to help homeless and needy teens and young adults has grown and we now service more than 15-hundred every six months.

Tumbleweed services include working with youthful sex trafficking survivors; refugee children; programs that help youth achieve GED / High school equivalency; job placement and life skills training. While we celebrate the past 40 years of success at Tumbleweed we also are excited about the future plans.  Plans that include and upgraded Phoenix Youth Resource Center and a new Mobile Outreach vehicle that will bring basic services to youth who are homeless anywhere in the valley.

It is all due to the incredible thoughtfulness and unselfish  donations from Tumbleweed supporters.  Supporters who know that getting help to a youngster in need while they are still young and willing to accept help will ultimately help all of society.    The donors who made the Hazelwood center possible know that getting the homeless youngster off the street long enough to consider another path is the first step to helping them find a future of success.