Good Samaritans fill service gaps amid budget cuts
Excerpts from Alia Beard Rau - Nov. 1, 2009   The Arizona Republic

Faced with another year of declining revenue, Arizona municipalities are increasingly relying on the charity of others to meet the needs of residents.  Tempe resident and Care Inc. non-profit founder Jon McHatton has organized volunteers in Tempe, Chandler and Page through his For Our City program.  "Service is a good bridge between the faith community and municipal leaders because it doesn't deal with any issues of church and state," McHatton said. "It just deals with doing what's best for people."  He said the trend of municipal volunteerism is gaining momentum, and each city is using it to serve its greatest needs. 

Over one thousand volunteers are expected for the Third Annual "Live Love Day" in Chandler this Saturday, Oct. 24. For Our City - Chandler and Tempe have collaborated with "Live Love Day," "Paint-a-thon," and GAIN to have our first annual For Our City Day. Volunteers will clean up and repair homes in older Chandler neighborhoods, paint homes and the Chandler Christian Center, and assist with projects at the Kingston Public Housing site and the Improving Chandler, Tempe and Gilbert Area Neighborhoods. Chandler Volunteers will gather at 7 a.m.

For Our City Page is working on bringing various groups from the faith-based community, the business community and the service community together to look at major hot topic issues in the community and to bring to the table resources to address those issues.