Did you know that Flagstaff, Arizona is the 8th most expensive city in the U.S. for renters? It has the highest cost of living in all of Arizona and is home to a rising number of people living without shelter.​

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While homelessness affects everyone it does not affect them the same. Almost 40% of the people living unsheltered in Flagstaff are Native American even though they are only 10% of the city population. The Diné, Hopi and many other tribes call the land Flagstaff is on home but can’t even afford the basic necessities to live here.  

 

At C.A.Ts of Flagstaff,  our mission is to transform lives by empowering people with the tools to survive and thrive through the creation of community. We use the Diné term k’é to express our belief that we are all related and responsible for each other’s well-being. We reach out to engage unsheltered and disenfranchised relatives where they are and accept them without judgment.

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Using a custom-made shower bus and other services, C.A.Ts connects with people where they are to provide basic necessities and to help them address barriers to housing, employment and stability. But the real impact is the creation of a bridge between cultures and people, where those in need are welcome without judgment or shame and where the rights of Indigenous peoples are given prominence.​

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Since rolling out the Bus in August 2022 C.A.Ts has connected with hundreds of people who have no housing and little access to basic needs. In 2023 we engaged with people 4,220 times providing showers, clothing, food, and hygiene. As housing prices soar more and more people will be forced onto the streets.

 

But we don't just provide material goods. We operate programs that give people the opportunity to make a difference in the community themselves. Our People at Work (P@W) program pays unsheltered relatives wages to pick up litter on Flagstaff's streets and our soon to be opened Fat C.A.Ts shop will provide space and tools for unsheltered artists and craftspersons to create art, decor, gifts, furnishings and more from reclaimed construction waste for sale to the public.

 

And we are developing a site based Resource and Respite Center where those in need can connect with other providers as well as obtain needed services as well as a micro village for transitional housing.

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It takes a community to build community! Join us in building a better Flagstaff comunity today!