Creating Smiles. One Bag at a Time.
One Bag at a Time is a nonprofit charitable organization (501c3) dedicated to providing men, women, and children experiencing homelessness in the greater Phoenix area with essential items and goods. All of our Creating Smiles events are focused on supplying our homeless community with toiletries and other necessities. Our efforts wouldn’t be possible without generous donations from individual and corporate donors and of course, the help from selfless volunteers across the Valley of the Sun looking to better their community. By partnering with our organization to directly help our homeless community, you get to see the smiles created by your efforts firsthand!
Your donations make the work we do in our community possible. Every donation is maximized to provide the most positive impact.
Get Involved
Volunteer at an Event
One Bag at a Time hosts monthly events in downtown Phoenix, and we also proudly coordinate events with countless volunteer organizations across the Valley to create smiles. See our latest events here.
Donate Items
We are always collecting essential items to fill our bags. The most needed items are toiletries such as toothbrushes/toothpaste, feminine products, combs, razors, soap, deodorant, and wipes. Water and snack items like crackers, granola bars, chips, and fruit pouches are always needed too! Drop off items to our main location in Phoenix:
One Bag at a Time
10636 N Cave Creek Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85020
Donate
All monetary donations are tax-deductible and as a nonprofit, every cent will be used to advance our mission!
Unsure of what to buy or how much of an item we need? Please send donations via check payable to One Bag at a Time and mailed to our headquarters.
One Bag at a Time
10636 N Cave Creek Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85020
Our Mission and Values:
We are a collective of local individuals who strive to provide the biggest, positive impact on our immediate needy communities through awareness and support.
What We Do
One Bag at a Time believes in the human right to essential hygiene items and other basic goods, and with every donation, every event, every bag, and every smile, it is our goal to…
- provide necessities to people in need, free of charge and without discrimination.
- treat our homeless neighbors with respect and dignity.
- create stronger local communities by fostering volunteerism.
- honor and appreciate our donors and volunteers.
- expand our organization and broaden our impact.
Our Story
How We Got Started
One Bag at a Time was founded by the Hobaica Family to contribute to the Phoenix community in a meaningful, tangible way. Andy Hobaica grew up volunteering at soup kitchens and then began creating simple care packages to have ready to hand out. Andy soon partnered with Ted Young.
Where We Are Now
Soon, the organization became an official 501c3, and the two now work tirelessly to expand One Bag at a Time’s reach month after month. For Andy and Ted, and for all of our amazing volunteers and donors, serving the homeless community in such a direct and profound way reinforces what’s important in life, and we hope you’ll join our efforts to create smiles, One Bag at a Time!
Creating Smiles – One Bag at a Time
Maricopa County has a significant homeless population, and the Phoenix-area housing crisis and current economic climate continues to exacerbate the situation. At One Bag at a Time, we seek to humanize our neighbors in need who are often forgotten and stigmatized by society. We implore you to put yourself in the shoes of a person without shelter – what daily items would be of most use to you, and what would help you maintain a sense of dignity and humanity? If you were left with nothing, what essentials would matter most to you? Let’s work together to better our community and create smiles.
Homelessness never has to equal hopelessness, and that goes for both the homeless people who need help and for our community members who genuinely want to help. We believe that getting out and meeting our homeless neighbors face-to-face with a smile and a bag full of essential goodies is a difference-maker in our communities and a positive step toward reducing the stigma surrounding homelessness. We know that for our volunteers, the simple act of gifting someone with items they can put to immediate use fosters compassion, humility, and gratitude.
Creating Smiles Since 2015
People helped
$ Raised
Events So Far
How You Can Help
Our organization’s success is because of people like you looking to make a positive, immediate impact on their community. For individuals, families, and businesses alike, there is simply no better feeling than when your time and effort creates genuine smiles on people who desperately need a reason to smile.
Our Events
One Bag At A Time hosts monthly events in downtown Phoenix, and we also proudly coordinate events with countless volunteer organizations across the Valley to create smiles. Our events are always attended by hundreds of our homeless neighbors, and we are always committed to providing a safe and meaningful experience for everyone.
How You Can Help
Donate Items
We are always collecting essential items to fill our bags. The most needed items are toiletries such as toothbrushes/toothpaste, feminine products, combs, razors, soap, deodorant, and wipes. Water and snack items like crackers, granola bars, chips, and fruit pouches are always needed too! Drop off items to our main location in Phoenix:
One Bag at a Time
10636 N Cave Creek Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85020
Volunteer
One Bag At A Time hosts monthly events in downtown Phoenix, and we also proudly coordinate events with countless volunteer organizations across the Valley to create smiles. Our events are always attended by hundreds of our homeless neighbors, and we are always committed to providing a safe and meaningful experience for everyone. Check out our calendar of events or follow us on Facebook for upcoming events, and be sure to bring the entire family along!
Donate Money
All monetary donations are tax-deductible and as a nonprofit, every cent will be used to advance our mission!
Unsure of what to buy or how much of an item we need? Please send donations via check payable to One Bag at a Time and mailed to our headquarters.
One Bag at a Time
10636 N Cave Creek Rd
Phoenix, AZ 85020
Be a Sponsor
Are you a Phoenix-area business owner and looking to give back to your community? When you are blessed with so much, becoming a sponsor is an amazing way to help support such an important mission while also receiving positive brand recognition. Win win!
Volunteer at an Event
Our events are always attended by hundreds of our homeless neighbors, and we are always committed to providing a safe and meaningful experience for everyone. Check out our calendar of events or follow us on Facebook for upcoming events, and be sure to bring the entire family along!
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