Responding to flooding in Globe
After heavy rains in the entire state of Arizona, the town of Globe, with a population just over 7,000, experienced flooding so severe that Governor Katie Hobbs declared a state of emergency. Dozens of families were left homeless after their houses had been flooded, displacing many to live in schools set up as temporary relief sites.
When Joseph Yanez, who heads up St. Vincent de Paul's Celebrity Fight Night Water Truck, heard about the severe flooding 90 miles east of Phoenix, he didn’t think twice about loading up the truck with donated necessities to provide relief. Typically, Joseph spends his days driving Valley streets to deliver water and other necessities to people experiencing homelessness, especially during intense summer heat. So he's no stranger to responding to extreme weather and knows exactly what people left with nothing need to survive. The water truck team's compassion moved them to drive the extra distance to help Arizonans facing crisis in Globe.
"We're on a mission," Joseph said on their drive there. "[We're bringing] equipment for the individuals out there, along with shoes, socks, and jackets."
Thousands of volunteers responded to the emergency, including Joseph and the water truck team. They loaded up necessities, including clothing, shoes, socks, and hygiene kits, for 1,500 people. SVdP was also able to coordinate with a local Phoenix vendor who donated over $10,000 worth of cleaning supplies, which were loaded onto the truck to aid volunteers helping recover the areas damaged by deep flood waters in Globe.
As the restoration of the town continues, volunteers from SVdP and similar organizations persist with hard work. While SVdP's contribution is relatively humble, the organization is so proud of its staff for jumping into action when fellow Arizonans needed help.
