There are unsung heroes in our community; they are the folks who get out there every day and do the vital charitable work that’s needed for those less fortunate. I’m excited to share their stories and give them a shout-out for doing the job and making a difference.
Mark Holleran is one of those heroes. I met Mark in the late 1990s in my role as a charitable grant maker. At that time, Mark was the CEO of Central Arizona Shelter Services (“CASS”). I remember well my trepidation walking onto their site in the heart of downtown Phoenix. In the middle of the day, the homeless population hung out in the parking lot and on the street corners. It was not a welcoming environment, and it made me feel very uncomfortable. Every time I hear the Phil Collins song, “Another Day in Paradise,” that experience comes to mind. “She calls out to the man on the street, “Sir, can you help me? It’s cold and I’ve nowhere to sleep, is there somewhere you can tell me?” He walks on, doesn’t look back, he pretends he can’t hear her, starts to whistle as he crosses the street, seems embarrassed to be there.”
Meeting up with Mark at the front security entrance, we began a tour of Arizona’s largest homeless emergency shelter. We returned to Mark’s office and, in the years since, I have learned much about the man who has made such an important impact on so many lives – lives that have been written off, brushed aside, or ignored like the lady Phil Collins sings about. Mark has dedicated a long career to giving them an immediate solution of a place to lay down their head, and a hand-up with offers of supportive services. After his 23-year career with CASS, Mark became the CEO of Arizona Housing Inc. (“AHI”), and continues his efforts to create affordable supportive housing, and increase available services relating to homelessness and community housing.
Homelessness is a topic that few want to talk about, or even acknowledge. Like me, they don’t look back and don’t hear the cry for help. Mark lives in that world 24/7, seeing first-hand the needs and challenges. His job is not easy, nor appealing. His life has been threatened more than once while just trying to help folks in need. As we chat, it’s obvious that his brain is always in gear, thinking through alternatives and new plans to support the chronically homeless and mentally ill.
I was linked to Mark from the start by our common career path. Like me, Mark was a CPA who “recovered” and moved into the non-profit sector. Today, as a grandfather and cancer survivor, Mark shared the importance of relishing every moment. He sees himself as blessed, and wants to take advantage of every remaining day, knowing that more days have been clipped off in his past, than those that are to come.
One of the essential programs provided by AHI seeks to address the food insecurity among their residents that live in 616 furnished affordable housing units. The Feeding Extremely Low Income Essential Dietary Staples (FEEDS) program provides extremely low-income older adults (77% of whom are disabled) with basic food needs. The hope is to alleviate one problem – making it possible to focus on the next. Knowing Mark Holleran, I’m sure that like a chess master, he has formulated plans five or more steps ahead, doing everything possible to make lives better for so many who might be entirely forgotten were it not for his work.
Mark is giving back to those desperately in need of a helping hand, and he is constantly moving forward seeking out the next solution. Thank you, Mark, for your lifetime of work improving living for so many Arizonans. You are indeed an unsung hero!
Learn more about the important work done at Arizona Housing Inc at www.azhousinginc.org.