Nonprofit Profiles

When kids get a good start, it’s better for everyone.

This past August, I got the chance to hear Dr. Bruce Perry speak at the national conference of Prevent Child Abuse America. Dr. Perry, a renowned neuroscientist and co-author of What Happened to You? with Oprah Winfrey, focuses on how early experiences shape our brains, bodies, and behaviors. He said it best: “The great gift of early childhood is its opportunity to transform our society.”

Like many living in the Prescott area, I’m not from around here. I’m still new to the region and still getting to know my neighbors. When I was a kid, I knew all of them. It seems harder now. Maybe it’s our fast-paced lives or our phones that keep us a little more isolated than before.

I began working at Prescott Meals on Wheels in 2022, and part of my onboarding included a ride-along on one of our many routes, where drivers deliver hot, fresh meals to homebound neighbors who can no longer cook for themselves. On that first route, I watched the driver do far more than deliver meals. He genuinely engaged with each person, asking how they were doing, catching up on family news, and listening with care.

What would you do if you found yourself without a place to call home? What if you lost your job, a pandemic changed your economic situation, or a health situation drained all of your financial resources? Fortunately, Agape House of Prescott gives hope to families who are struggling, living in crisis, and experiencing homelessness. Agape House provides more than just a home; it offers the resources, tools, and mentoring needed for families to thrive and gain independence.

Since opening its doors in 2007, Prescott Area Shelter Services (PASS) has been a steadfast source of hope for women, families, and veterans facing homelessness in the Quad Cities. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, PASS is dedicated to helping individuals move from crisis to stability—offering not only a safe place to stay, but the resources, compassion, and guidance to rebuild their lives.

In the heart of Prescott, something extraordinary is taking root. Rise Above the Clouds, a nonprofit founded and led by those who once navigated the foster care system themselves, is giving foster youth a camp experience designed not just for fun, but for healing. 

Unlike traditional programs, the camp blends evidence-based practices with lived experience, guiding every activity through the 4 Cs (proven measurements of a regulated nervous system): Calm, Connection, Confidence, and Curiosity. Rise Above the Clouds staff measure these qualities using both observational and scientific methods (including voluntary cortisol testing) to see how safe, joyful experiences can rewire the brain and help heal trauma. 

At 10 a.m. each day, the Prescott Meals on Wheels headquarters is a hive of activity. Food’s cooking, volunteers are packaging it up, and drivers are loading their cars to head out for delivery. The sounds of chatting and laughter keep the place abuzz as folks work together to fulfill the Meals on Wheels mission: enabling adults to maintain independence and dignity by delivering community, nourishment, and care.

When Kristy and Dave Marston moved to Prescott in 2003, they needed something to do. Their friends in New Jersey had volunteered for Meals on Wheels and enjoyed it, so the Marstons found the local chapter and signed on.

“At first, we did it because our friends had done it,” Kristy said during a recent interview. Then they realized what a big need the organization fills. “People need to be fed.”

And, the Marstons enjoy it so much, they’ve stayed for more than 20 years.

When Patti Indelicato first met six-year-old Chloe at Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters in Prescott, neither of them could have imagined the bond they’d grow over the next eight years. Now 14, Chloe is a thriving, ambitious teen with dreams of joining the military and a passion for music. And by her side through it all has been Patti—her Big Sister, mentor, and trusted friend.

Nestled within the Pine Ridge Marketplace in Prescott, Arizona, the Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew (GMIHC) Learning and Tribute Center stands as a poignant testament to the bravery and sacrifice of the 19 elite firefighters who perished in the Yarnell Hill Fire on June 30, 2013. This all-volunteer nonprofit center not only memorializes these heroes but also serves as an educational hub, fostering awareness about wildland firefighting and fire prevention.

House of Hope 316 in Prescott Valley offers a lifeline to elderly individuals facing homelessness. Founded by Bert Hunt in 2019, this faith-based nonprofit provides safe housing, meals, and a supportive community for seniors in need. With four homes accommodating up to 35 residents, House of Hope 316 has served over 70,000 meals to more than 75 individuals. Residents contribute rent based on their income, covering about 40% of operating expenses, with the remainder funded by donations. No one is turned away due to financial constraints. The organization exemplifies compassion and community support for a vulnerable population

Since 1980, Stepping Stones Agencies has provided around-the-clock advocacy support and safe shelter for adults and children experiencing domestic violence in West Yavapai County. That’s 45 years of safe nights of sleep, supportive fellowship, and finding freedom from all forms of abuse.

Faith House (now Stepping Stones Agencies) opened its doors as the first domestic violence shelter for women and children in Northern Arizona. With 10 beds plus five cribs, women and children were able to find safety and support in the rural Prescott area.

Two decades later, Stepping Stones expanded to a larger safe shelter campus with 16 beds and five cribs for emergency shelter. Additionally, the move added four two-bedroom affordable transitional housing apartments. With more space, Stepping Stones was able to serve more families and added additional advocates to provide 24/7/365 services in the new space.

Today, in addition to the safe campus, Stepping Stones has also added five additional affordable transitional apartments (for a total of nine) to serve even more families each year.

I recently asked one of my co-workers if I could take her 10-year-old daughter shopping. When another co-worker asked why, I explained that I remember what it was like to be young and to look up to older kids and want to hang out with them.

Another co-worker recommended that I look into Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters (YBBBS). Her suggestion reminded me that I was once a Little Sister, too. When I was 11, I joined YBBBS and was matched with a family I’m still close to.

I want to be someone who my Little Sister Jenileigh looks up to and feels comfortable opening up with. I try to give her advice in situations to make the best decisions, but she is a very smart, mature kid and usually knows what the right decision is; I try to support her choices so she can feel more confident in future decisions.