Jerod MacDonald-Evoy

The Republic | azcentral.com

Corrections & Clarifications: An upcoming Tempe Community Action Agency fundraiser aims to raise $25,000. An earlier version listed the wrong amount.

At any given time in 2015, there were 564,708 homeless people across the United States.

Most states, including Arizona, have reported drops in homelessness since then. However, Arizona still had an estimated 9,707 homeless people in 2016, according to the most recent Housing and Urban Development data.

That means advocacy groups and local governments need all the help they can get in the fight to alleviate homelessness.

MORE: Cities, churches and others try to solve homeless problems from Tempe to Mesa

How to help Tempe agency

The Tempe Community Action Agency has spent the past 51 years working to ease homelessness and operating Tempe's only homeless shelter. The agency aims to raise $25,000 during the I-Help Walk/ Run for the Homeless on March 25.

TCAA's Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program, also known as I-HELP, relies on local faith communities to house and feed the homeless. A network of 10 churches volunteer space and time to house between 35 to 40 homeless adults each night.

Those interested in participating in the fundraiser can sign up at http://tempeaction.org/events/ihelp5k.

Running or walking not your thing? TCAA has five other ways you can help:

Volunteer time: TCAA always needs volunteers to deliver meals to homebound adults and seniors, help in the food pantry or assist at the homeless shelter. Volunteer applications are at http://tempeaction.org/volunteer. Donate: TCAA has a community garden and large food pantry, but always can use food donations. Monetary donations also qualify for a tax credit. Share garage sale proceeds: Holding a garage sale anytime soon? If so, TCAA asks that you consider donating part of the money made to them for a tax credit. Host a workplace food drive: One of the easiest ways to help is by conducting a food drive at your workplace. Make sure to not only collect food though as TCAA is in need of hygiene items such as diapers, towels and other linens to help individuals and families. Spread the word: If you just don't have time to volunteer and money is tight, just spreading the word about TCAA helps. Many homeless people are unaware of the services that are available, Director of Emergency Services Sam Sumner said.

Beyond shelter, TCAA's social-service workers help homeless adults find work, housing and health services.

Last year, the program sheltered 565 homeless adults. Case managers worked with 328 of them, leading to 103 finding housing and 111 finding jobs.

Helping homeless veterans

A homeless encampment forced to vacate land near Loop 202 in Mesa this month set up a temporary camp near 19th Avenue and Camelback Road in Phoenix, but were forced to move again on Monday.

The group, called Veterans on Patrol, is largely made up of veterans.

MORE: Homeless camp near Mesa given more time to move

G.S. Sandhu, who owns Christown Animal Hospital, said he agreed to let the group camp on his property temporarily but he quickly received complaints from neighbors.

He told the group to vacate by 5 p.m. after city officials said his property isn't zoned for housing, Sandhu said.

Tensions were high on Monday afternoon as camp Resource Director Jeff Kagan and others said they were being shooed away, while city officials said their attempts to help were being ignored.

"This is not a good situation," said Riann Balch, a Phoenix deputy human services and Family Advocacy Center director.

She and others were concerned by the lack of running water or bathrooms, which they said could lead to unsafe conditions and illness.

Balch and other city and social-service workers tried to get the campers into temporary housing. Some agreed to go to shelters, and one couple was able to get into an apartment, but some chose not to.

Roughly 20 campers planned to move to Tucson, where Veterans on Patrol has another camp, Kagan said.

Groups such as this present unique challenges for social-service workers as some campers claim it is their right to camp and are mistrusting of local government and police.​

But Kagan says Veterans on Patrol is one way to reach veterans on the streets. He said the group has an "urgent need" for items such as bottled water, canned food, powdered drink mix and single-serve snacks.

The camp also needs such items as clean socks and underwear for men and women, batteries, trash bags, duct tape and sleeping mats. Anyone interested in donating or volunteering can reach out to Kagan via the group's Facebook page called Camp Pulaski, Kagan said.

The Arizona Department of Veterans Services also helps serve homeless and at-risk veterans in the state. In fiscal year 2013, the Arizona Veterans' Donation Fund set up by the department awarded over $725,000 to veterans' programs and initiatives throughout the state.

To support this effort:

Get a Veteran, Women Veterans or Freedom Arizona License Plate for an annual $25 fee, $17 of which will go to the fund.

Donate to the fund for a tax credit. For information on the fund, visit https://dvs.az.gov/donation-fund.

More ways to help