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FOX 10 was kind enough to cover our first ever fundraising event, held virtually on October 22, 2020. This interview with Volunteer Coordinator Pia Brown is included here for your reading pleasure.
Happening now ICM Food and Clothing Bank is holding a virtual fundraiser so that they can continue their mission to help people get back on their feet. Ty Brennan now joining us with this. So, explain this to me, Ty. I’m not really familiar with this. What is this ICM fundraiser?
Ty Brennan:
Well, this ICM is an amazing organization that’s right here in downtown Phoenix that helps over a 150 people every single day that maybe need a little extra help. I’m going to bring in the expert here. Pia, you know everything about ICM. Can you explain to folks that maybe aren’t familiar with your organization. What do you guys do?
Pia:
Sure. We are a non-profit food and clothing bank serving about 150, like you said, or more people per day, families per day. We’re open Monday to Friday. From 9:00 to 11:00 we’re providing food boxes. People tend to think that we’re serving the homeless. It’s more of the families that are just in between jobs, our veterans, families like that. We have a lot of our senior citizens that we are serving. So, we’re just here to help the community and provide an immediate need for them.
Ty Brennan:
So, Pia, let me ask you this. How is COVID affected this? Have you seen an increase in folks needing a little extra help now?
Pia:
Each day it’s a little bit different. And I think with some of the funding that’s come in for some of the families, we’ve seen a little bit of a decrease in some of that. But with a lot of other food pantries in the areas that have popped up that have been able to help and provide a faster and easier access to some of the families in the community.
Ty Brennan:
Pia, let’s do a little walk and talk. I want to show … because this is obviously all the food here. But these are all the clothes that you guys help out every single day too right?
Pia:
Yes. Definitely. This is a place where all of our donations are coming in on a daily basis. We have a driver that goes out to the community. We have various partners throughout the community that help keep this room stocked with supplies and hygiene products, clothing, small household items that we’re able to provide for our families.
Ty Brennan:
So, obviously you guys are doing a big virtual fundraiser that’s going on as we speak. For folks that are at home, maybe want to help you guys out, what’s the best way that they can do that?
Pia:
The best way right now is … We’re actually live right now. Our virtual event is live and we’re excited. It’s our first one. They can visit our website at www.icmaz.org. And visit there and provide maybe a donation, get involved in that way. Would be great.
Ty Brennan:
Yeah. Well, Pia, thank you so much for all that you guys do day in and day out helping everybody. And of course, we’re going to put all that information. If you would like to donate to ICM on our website, just head on over to fox10phoenix.com. We’ll link their website to ours. Back to you.
