ASU students of the Leadership Scholarship Program have begun implementing big plans to revitalize the Phoenix Tumbleweed Youth and Development Center.
An emergency housing shelter for youths between the ages 18–25, Tumbleweed’s mission is “that every young person is valued and has a safe place to live,” according to its website.
LSP intends to bring new life to the shelter by moving in furniture, computers and other items donated to or funded by LSP, as well as running a hygiene drive to collect basic necessities for youth in the shelter.
The shelter was characterized by white walls and very little character, but more than 30 LSP members executed the first phase of the project in March by painting the walls and brightening the overall space.
“We wanted to add a splash of color to what was once grey and dreary,” said project leader Nick Staloch.
With the new renovation project, LSP also intends to clean the carpets and provide the shelter with dressers and other pieces of furniture to create a successful environment with a sense of order that youth in the shelter will one day be able to emulate and maintain on their own.
“Our goal is to make the place a little more livable, some place that they can have pride in and be proud to come home to,” Staloch said.
Project Head of Finance and Fundraising Lindsay Heffron said Tumbleweed is special to the students involved in the renovation project because it caters specifically to their peers.
“We could be interacting with or sitting beside someone in class who’s experiencing youth homelessness.” Heffron said. “At any point we could become one of them.”
LSP member Crystal Alvarez also said she enjoys working with the center because she can relate to the people there.
“It’s insane to imagine that I could be that person,” Alvarez said. “Most people have parents or some type of support system. I can’t imagine not having that as a child.”
Tumbleweed is an excellent resource for youths who lack that support, Alvarez said.
“(Tumbleweed) provides them with a sense of hope that there are people looking out for them," she said. "Especially the people working there, they have an extreme amount of compassion and care for them."
LSP has managed to raise around $900, but despite the relatability of the cause, it has continually faced challenges with fundraising, Heffron said. Students wishing to donate furniture or contribute to the hygiene drive are welcome to contact Lindsay Heffron at lindsay.heffron@asu.edu.
Reach the reporter at icastil3@asu.edu.
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