Arizona has the 12th highest poverty rate in the country – more than 19 percent of the state’s children live in poverty. Kelly McGowan leads an organization designed to not only help those who need it most, but works to prevent poverty in families throughout the state.

Originally known as the Arizona Community Action Association when the organization started in 1967, Kelly led the effort six years ago to rebrand ACAA as Wildfire: Igniting Community Action to End Poverty in Arizona.

That means a wealth of projects. Wildfire partners with nearly 300 other community agencies to address the causes and consequences of poverty. This includes:

• Heat relief initiative – helping low-income families replace their HVAC equipment to reduce heat -related deaths.
• Home Energy Assistance Fund – assisting with utility bills, weatherization services, and utility appliance repair and replacement.
• SNAP Outreach and Education – helping residents understand and apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Last fiscal year they helped 38,742 households.

More than this, however, Wildfire works to prevent poverty by advocating for fair practices, quality jobs, and collaborating on policy issues to stop poverty before it starts.

Click here to learn more about Wildfire: https://wildfireaz.org/

Original air date: October 3, 2024.