February 2026 Newsletter

For Chris Hagel, everything changed after one devastating loss. “My brother passed away a few months ago,” Chris says. For years, Chris, his brother, and his brother’s wife shared a home in Mesa and made it work as a team. “We’d been living there about six years,” he explains. “I worked, Nikki worked, and my brother’s disability check helped every month too. We were like a little family.”

When his brother died, that balance disappeared. Grief came first, and then the financial strain followed quickly. “The next month, Nikki’s job started slowing down, so she was losing hours,” Chris says. “Same thing at my job.” With one income gone entirely and the others shrinking, they fell behind. “Before we knew it, we were two months behind on rent.”

They tried to recover, but it wasn’t enough. The eviction notice came soon after. “For me, it felt like everything hit at once,” Chris says. “I lost my brother, then I lost my job, and then the house. It was just bam, bam.”

Chris had never experienced homelessness before. “I didn’t know what to do, honestly,” he says. “I’d never lived on the street. I’d never had to live in a shelter.” But instead of waiting until things got worse, he started making calls. “I knew there was a chance we were going to lose the house,” he says. “So I started calling around.”

That search led him to A New Leaf’s East Valley Men’s Center. After a brief screening call, he was given a bed at the shelter. When Chris arrived, he wasn’t sure what to expect. “I didn’t know how any of this world worked,” he admits. But staff walked him through the program, and what he found surprised him. “It looked clean. Organized. They give you three meals a day,” he says. “It just felt like a safe place that could actually help me.”

What mattered most was that A New Leaf’s programs are meant for helping people to rebuild their lives. “It’s a four-month program,” Chris explains. “You get a caseworker to meet with every couple of days and they keep you on track. Once you find a job, they want you to save so you can get back on your feet.”

Chris is already working toward his next step after settling into the shelter. Looking for a new job, he recently interviewed for a position with Hyundai. “The job would start at $22 an hour, I mean that’s a living, that would give me a real chance to regain stability.”

Until then, Chris treats each day like preparation. He signs up for chores in the shelter, stays active, and keeps a routine. “I make sure I get up early every morning,” he says, “so when I’m working again, I’m ready. It feels good to feel hopeful about the future again.”

A New Leaf’s Donation Center is where community generosity turns into real help for families and individuals working to regain stability. Every day, new and unused items donated here play a vital role in supporting families and individuals facing crisis situations across the Valley. But we can’t do it alone!

Volunteers are the heart of this work. From welcoming donors and organizing items to helping coordinate drives and assisting with community partnerships, your time and energy make a real difference. Whether you’re looking to lend a few hours regularly or bring a group together for a meaningful project, there’s a place for you here.

At A New Leaf, volunteers support our mission of Helping Families, Changing Lives in ways big and small. You’ll walk away knowing you’ve helped make everyday essentials more accessible to families striving for stability and comfort, and you’ll meet others who share your heart for service.

Ready to roll up your sleeves? Visit our volunteer page to find the opportunity that fits you best, from Donation Center support to group projects and more. Every hour you give helps strengthen our community and brings hope to someone who needs it.

Click the button below to sign up to volunteer today!

Our Donation Center is currently in need of the following high-priority items:

• Bath towels
• General purpose cleaning supplies
• Clorox/Lysol wipes
• Paper towels
• Bottles of water
• Pots and pans
• Forks
• Food (i.e. pasta sauce, PB&J, condiments, chips, rice, boxed milk, canned fruit, canned tuna, canned chicken, granola bars, fruit cups, canned chili, canned carrots, canned potatoes)
• Twin, Full, Queen sheet sets
• Laundry Detergent
• XL/2XL Women’s and Men’s Shirts, Pants, and Sweatshirts
• Curly Hair Products

Virtual Town Hall Recap

A New Leaf recently hosted a virtual town hall for donors and community members, sharing updates on the organization’s 2026 priorities, including an upcoming CEO transition designed to ensure continuity and stability.

Leadership discussed how A New Leaf is proactively adapting to changes in federal funding by strengthening partnerships and diversifying support to maintain strong services for Valley families and individuals in crisis. The session emphasized collaboration, accountability, and the organization’s unwavering commitment to its mission, offering an encouraging look at how, together, we’re building a resilient future for our community.

If you missed it, we encourage you to watch the recap to hear more about what’s ahead and how you can continue to be part of this important work.

LIFE Kit Event on February 7th

This February, A New Leaf is offering a free LIFE Kit event on Saturday, February 7, a practical resource designed to help you organize and protect your most important documents. 

A LIFE Kit is a file box that keeps all your crucial information in one place: Legal documents, Insurance policies, Financials, and Emergency essentials. When you attend, you’ll receive a complimentary kit complete with labeled folders, instructions, and waterproof storage bags. Trusted professionals will be on hand to guide you through the process and answer questions about financial planning, estate planning, healthcare, and more. 

This is a valuable opportunity to get organized and prepare for whatever life brings.

Date: Saturday, February 7, 2026
Time: 9:00am -11:00am
Location: MesaCAN – 635 E Broadway Rd, Mesa, AZ 85204

A New Leaf’s West Valley programs continue to be a lifeline for households experiencing domestic violence and housing instability. Faith House Domestic Violence Shelter and the West Valley Family Shelter are essential pillars of support for families. These programs assist families in their most difficult moments thanks to the dedication of staff and the generosity of community partners who believe in creating safer futures for Arizona individuals and families.

Faith House provides secure emergency shelter for individuals and families fleeing domestic violence. Beyond safety, the program offers comprehensive support including safety planning, case management, financial empowerment, and connections to community resources.

The West Valley Housing Assistance Center offers a 7-unit shelter for families and single women experiencing housing instability, ensuring that children and adults have a safe place to stay while they work toward long-term stability. Residents receive case management, employment assistance, basic needs support, housing navigation, and other vital support services. 

A New Leaf is grateful for the commitment of the John F. Long Foundation, Sunrise Foundation, West Valley Lutheran Thrift Shop, West Valley Mavericks Foundation, Peoria Diamond Club, Sun City Rotary Foundation, and Plus Power, whose support helps ensure that critical services remain available to families in crisis.

These partnerships strengthen A New Leaf’s impact in the West Valley, helping individuals and families move forward with stability, resilience, and the chance to rebuild their lives.

Save the Date: A Night in New York City — A New Leaf’s 37th Annual Camaraderie Gala