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.

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:
<ul>
<li>Heat relief initiative – helping low-income families replace their HVAC equipment to reduce heat -related deaths.</li>
<li>Home Energy Assistance Fund – assisting with utility bills, weatherization services, and utility appliance repair and replacement.</li>
<li>SNAP Outreach and Education – helping residents understand and apply for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Last fiscal year they helped 38,742 households.</li>
</ul>
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: <a href="https://wildfireaz.org/">https://wildfireaz.org/</a> 
Original air date: October 3, 2024.

The Rescuers radio show provides an opportunity to spotlight people who are working behind the scenes to make this world a better place. These people serve as inspiration and idea starters to encourage others to find creative ways to impact their community, their city, and the world.

Host Art Brooks has spent his career in broadcasting, both as on-air talent and in representing the industry as president and CEO of the Arizona Broadcasters Association for nearly 30 years. He was the driving force behind an Emmy-winning series of documentaries on drug abuse that combined a phone bank of 100 seasoned counselors and history-making "roadblock," as every TV station in Arizona and many radio stations broadcast the groundbreaking show on the same day at the same time. He also was instrumental in starting AZ AMBER Alert (one of two states in the nation where broadcasters initiated the program), helped form the Native American Broadcast Institute at Northern Arizona University and consulted with broadcasters in Bulgaria to help build commercial radio as the country was coming out of communism.

Rescuers airs 5:30-6 p.m. AZ time Thursdays on KPXQ-AM Faith Talk 1360, beginning May 7, 2020. Based in Phoenix, it is available internationally online. We invite you to submit names of heroes you think would be good subjects for the show - just message us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/

The Rescuers radio show provides an opportunity to spotlight people who are working behind the scenes to make this world a better place. These people serve as inspiration and idea starters to encourage others to find creative ways to impact their community, their city, and the world. Host Art Brooks has spent his career in broadcasting, both as on-air talent and in representing the industry as president and CEO of the Arizona Broadcasters Association for nearly 30 years. He was the driving force behind an Emmy-winning series of documentaries on drug abuse that combined a phone bank of 100 seasoned counselors and history-making "roadblock," as every TV station in Arizona and many radio stations broadcast the groundbreaking show on the same day at the same time. He also was instrumental in starting AZ AMBER Alert (one of two states in the nation where broadcasters initiated the program), helped form the Native American Broadcast Institute at Northern Arizona University and consulted with broadcasters in Bulgaria to help build commercial radio as the country was coming out of communism. Rescuers airs 5:30-6 p.m. AZ time Thursdays on KPXQ-AM Faith Talk 1360, beginning May 7, 2020. Based in Phoenix, it is available internationally online. We invite you to submit names of heroes you think would be good subjects for the show - just message us on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/">https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/</a>

Rescuers radio show

Great feel good program with insightful guests highlighting our unsung heroes helping in our communities.

Great feel good program with insightful guests highlighting our unsung heroes helping in our communities.

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