I was honored to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Amazon's Storage & Distribution Center (SDC) in Mesa. The site is more than 1.2 million square feet and is the largest of its kind in the nation.

This is the first SDC in the East Valley and allows for third-party sellers to ensure their product is in stock. In Arizona, Amazon has 17 fulfillment and sortation centers, 13 delivery stations, and more than 33,000 full-and part-time employees. This facility, KRB9, is expected to have 800-1300 employees.  

Maricopa County is doing what it can to alleviate the homeless problem in our communities. There are several organizations doing great work and one of them is St Vincent de Paul. I admire the dedication and achievements of everyone at St Vincent de Paul. I asked them to share how we can help them in their great mission, and this is what they had to say.

"A year-round need, but especially in the summer months, St Vincent de Paul is currently asking for donations of men’s jeans, sneakers, and cases of bottled water. All three of these much-needed items will help save our neighbors experiencing homelessness and protect them from the harsh Arizona summers. Jeans are one of the most durable and valuable clothing items to our guests. Not only do they protect the skin from harmful sun exposure, but also from the wild Arizona critters. If you can share an old, but wearable pair of jeans or sneakers, please think of St. Vincent de Paul."

Congratulations to the City of Mesa for winning the All-American City Award for youth programs that encourage engagement, education attainment, and service in their communities. This award was announced at the ceremony in Denver, CO June 11, 2023.

The 2023 All-America City Award recognizes communities that are working to improve the health and well-being of young people, with particular attention to efforts that engage young people in this work. The last time Mesa won the All-America City Award was in 1979.

Find Help Phoenix, a county-wide resource directory operated by Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) will be sunsetted and absorbed by 211 Arizona after 11 years of serving Maricopa County residents.

“Find Help Phoenix started in response to a community need for a centralized location to find county-wide resources. Public Health was able to fill that gap with the help from First Things First, and now it’s time for 211 to lead that effort,” said Jeanene Fowler, assistant director for Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH).

Maricopa County Animal Care & Control (MCACC) received a $100,000 grant investment from national nonprofit Petco Love in support of their lifesaving work for animals in Maricopa County!

“Thanks to Petco Love, we were able to provide very important services, such as spay/neuter surgeries, vaccines, and microchips, to under-resourced communities through our Pet Help program,” said Debbie McKnight, Director of MCACC. “Our whole team looks forward to continuing this lifesaving work with Petco Love!”

"I foster *failed* this beautiful girl, who we named Athena earlier this year. She came to us with 5 puppies, very skinny but full of love to give! Now she spends her days basking in the sun, stealing everyone's food, playing with her siblings, and being the highlight of my entire life. We are so thankful we signed up to foster. I adopted the puppies out to our friends and family. She still sees her pups on a regular basis!! Thank you MCACC!"

--Athena’s Human, Peyton W.

Maricopa County  |  301 W Jefferson St  |  Phoenix, AZ 85003