July 2026 Newsletter

“You wouldn’t think it, but a decade ago I was a successful business owner,” says Marcus Cote. “I had a trucking company, owned franchises. I had my real estate license, doing very well, living up in Sedona.” 

But after a messy divorce, Marcus says “the wheels started coming off and I didn’t handle it well.” What followed was a path he never expected to take. “When I was alone, I started down a road that was problematic to say the least,” he says. “I started using drugs. It was an escape. I didn’t have to deal with reality. I didn’t have to deal with feeling like a failure.” 

“The cost was heavy. I lost touch with my daughter for over 10 years,” Marcus says. “Didn’t talk to her. Didn’t see her. And then, last summer, her mother died from an overdose. It was then that I knew I needed to get sober. I love the hell out of my daughter,” he says. “She’s my only family left and I needed to change.” 

In this moment of clarity, Marcus put himself into rehab. “As it turns out, I really needed it.” He had begun rebuilding his life around staying sober. “I had my Harley, had my Cadillac Escalade. I had nice place. I was back in my daughter’s life. But addiction is a tricky thing, comes back when your down on your luck. I had several years of sobriety, but I lost my job and after a few months unemployed and frustrated, the wheels came off again. I relapsed and lost everything.” 

After exiting rehab for the second time, he had nowhere to go. “No job, no friends, I had nothing. I spent a few nights sleeping in a riverbed.” Around this time, a friend told him to come to A New Leaf’s East Valley Men’s Center. Marcus made an appointment and after a short screening he secured a bed at the shelter. He would have four months of shelter and support to stay sober, find work, and get back on his feet. 

“It was a relief, I’m too old to be on the streets. I’m 61 years old today. I don’t have many chances left if I slip up, so that means I can’t.” Marcus has been at East Valley Men’s Center for several weeks and is over 60 days sober. “It’s something I hope I will never, ever return to,” he says. “Every morning I wake up, I’m grateful for my eyes to open.” 

Working with his case manager, he’s made a plan for the future. “I have short-term goals. I have them written down. Step one is getting certified for construction traffic control. I can make some money, and I can put that away for a vehicle and an apartment.” 

Marcus is clear that he isn’t here to stay stuck. “I see this place as empowering, as a powerful resource,” he says. “It’s a stepping stone to real life. I want better things in my life again.” He plans to get his CDL back, drive locally, and eventually become an instructor at a truck school.  

Most of all, he wants himself back. “I want my daughter to be proud of who I am,” Marcus says. “I want to be proud of who I am. Thanks to A New Leaf, I’m a little closer to getting there.” 

For 27 years, one remarkable group has shown what consistent compassion looks like. 

Known as Paul’s Gang, these dedicated volunteers have prepared and served a monthly dinner for the men at A New Leaf’s East Valley Men’s Center since 1999. What began as an act of kindness by Paul Struder and friends from St. Brigid Catholic Church has become a lasting tradition that has never missed a month. 

Although Paul is no longer with us, his legacy continues through the volunteers who faithfully carry on his mission. Month after month, they do far more than serve a meal. They build relationships, create a sense of community, and remind every guest that they are seen, valued, and cared for. 

To Paul’s Gang, thank you for nearly three decades of unwavering service. Your commitment has touched countless lives and is a powerful example of what it means to help families and change lives. 

Looking for a meaningful way to get involved? We currently have several immediate volunteer needs, including donation center assistants, meal sponsors and servers, and more! Click the button below to sign up to volunteer today!

Sometimes the simplest gifts make the biggest difference. 

This summer, State Farm employees celebrated their annual Founders Day of Service by assembling 750 heat relief kits and 3,500 snack bags for A New Leaf programs. These thoughtful donations are helping children, families, and individuals stay safe during Arizona’s extreme heat while providing nutritious snacks for kids who may not have access to school meals during the summer. 

We’re incredibly grateful to the State Farm team for investing their time and energy into our community. Their generosity is a powerful reminder that when people come together, small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact. 

Current Donation Needs 

Our Donation Center is currently in need of new or gently used towels and bed sheets to help provide comfort and dignity for individuals and families rebuilding their lives. Every donation goes directly to neighbors in need and helps ensure they have the essentials to feel safe, cared for, and at home. 

When women come together with a shared purpose, incredible things happen. 

A New Leaf’s Women’s Giving Circle brings together a growing community of women who are passionate about helping families experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, and other life challenges. By pooling their generosity, members amplify their impact while connecting with others who share a commitment to creating lasting change. 

The Women’s Giving Circle offers opportunities to learn about A New Leaf’s work, build meaningful relationships, and inspire the next generation of philanthropists. Members are encouraged to invite daughters, granddaughters, nieces, friends, and colleagues to be part of this growing movement of compassionate women making a difference together. 

Join A New Leaf’s Women’s Giving Circle today and discover how your generosity can make an even greater impact. If you have questions, please email Suzanne Percy, Senior Charitable Giving Advisor, at spercy@turnanewleaf.org. 

This month, A New Leaf is proud to recognize a long-time community partner, The Arizona Republic’s Season for Sharing. 

The campaign began in 1993 and has since become one of Arizona’s most meaningful community giving traditions. Season for Sharing is led by The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com in partnership with the Arizona Community Foundation and the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Each year, the campaign raises awareness and critical funding for nonprofit organizations helping families and individuals through some of life’s most difficult moments. 

Season for Sharing has been much more than a funder for A New Leaf. It has been a powerful expression of community care. The Arizona Republic leverages its role as a trusted community resource to raise awareness of domestic and sexual violence and the services available to survivors. Year after year, this partnership has helped ensure that survivors have access to advocacy, resources, crisis support, and compassionate guidance when they need it most. 

These generous investments have helped survivors take important steps toward safety and stability. Funding has supported services such as court advocacy, safety planning, crisis intervention, resource navigation, and connections to ongoing care. For many survivors, these services can make an enormous difference during frightening and uncertain moments. 

The impact of this partnership can be seen in the lives of survivors who feel heard, protected, and supported. It is reflected in the courage of individuals and families beginning again after abuse, and in the steady presence of advocates who walk alongside survivors as they rebuild their lives. 

A New Leaf is deeply grateful for The Arizona Republic’s Season for Sharing and its long-standing commitment to survivors of domestic and sexual violence. This partnership helps ensure that survivors across the Valley are not alone, and that they can move toward safety, healing, and hope.  Thank you, Season for Sharing, for standing with A New Leaf and with survivors across Arizona.

A New Leaf is seeking Table Hosts for our annual With One Voice Breakfast on Thursday, October 22 at The Farm at South Mountain. As a Table Host, you’ll invite nine friends, family members, or colleagues to join you for a meaningful morning dedicated to supporting survivors of domestic violence.

Hosting a table is simple. There is no cost to attend, and guests will have the opportunity to make a gift during the program if they are inspired to do so. Your role is simply to fill a table with people who care about creating safer futures for families in our community.

Together, you’ll hear powerful stories of hope and resilience while learning how A New Leaf provides shelter, legal advocacy, counseling, and critical support to nearly 3,000 survivors each year.

If you’re interested in becoming a Table Host, we’d love to hear from you. Click the button above or contact Kristan Drewes at kdrewes@turnanewleaf.org or (480) 254-6525 to get started.