Major Announcement on GCU Partnership with CityServe

PHOENIX, AZ – Grand Canyon University and CityServe are announcing the creation of a major distribution hub on the GCU campus that will provide thousands of household goods to needy families in Arizona. A 35,000-square-foot warehouse on campus will house products such as clothing, heaters, fans, blankets, furniture, mattresses, food boxes and other essential items provided by major retailers such as Amazon, Costco, Home Depot and Lowe’s. The GCU hub – powered mostly by volunteers — will provide the items to PODs, or points of distribution, such as churches, schools and social service organizations that will then distribute them directly to families in need. GCU has already identified 40 PODs and plans to connect to more than 100 eventually.

A second phase of the initiative is also in the works. As families in need are identified, GCU will seek to provide them long-term assistance through its nine colleges in areas such as job readiness, tutoring, fiscal literacy, addiction counseling, business development, health clinics and more.

The first step for GCU and CityServe occurred last December when the University began providing food boxes from Shamrock Farms to organizations in Phoenix. To date, approximately 18,000 boxes of food have been distributed through GCU. That initial partnership will now be extended through the creation of the GCU hub and warehouse to distribute other types of merchandise to those needing assistance.

WHEN: 10 a.m. Monday, May 10

WHERE:

• GCU Canyon Activities Center (CAC)
• 3300 W. Camelback Road, Phoenix
• Media can enter at the main entrance at 33^rd Avenue & Camelback, where shuttles will take you to the CAC, or you can park in the parking garage at Missouri Avenue & 29^th Avenue and walk to the adjacent CAC

WHO:

CityServe is a collaborative network designed to mobilize local churches and organizations across the country to provide aid to those in need. GCU is the first university to serve as a hub for CityServe.

INTERVIEW:

• Brian Mueller, president, Grand Canyon University
• Dave Donaldson, CEO, CityServe International
• Representatives from organizations that will receive goods
• Local family(s) who have benefitted from CityServe

INFO:

• Bob Romantic, 602-639-7611 (office), 602-370-8878 (mobile) or bob.romantic@gcu.edu.
• Crissy Sanchez-Cochran, crissy@cityserve.us.

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