Arizona and its residents are in the cross hairs of the real-estate meltdown. For too many of us, the economic recovery—when it finally takes hold—will provide too little and arrive too late.

This is no longer a phenomenon relegated to the fringes of society. This "new homelessness" is cutting a wide swath across our community, affecting neighbors and friends, colleagues at work and classmates at school. These are men and women who never dreamed they would find themselves living on the street or in a shelter.

HSC is responding to this grim reality by launching “One Step Away,” a grassroots campaign to address the rising tide of homelessness across Maricopa County. At HSC, we've seen the number of homeless explode 25 to 60 percent. Community champions like Pastor Scott Ritchey and Phoenix City Councilman Greg Stanton tell us the fastest growing groups of homeless citizens in Maricopa County are families with children and senior citizens.

The name of our campaign, "One Step Away," reflects the troubling reality that many of us may only be a step away from homelessness. Any one of us may need community support to make it through these tough times. At the campaign launch, Mark Faulkner of Phoenix Fire reflected upon an elderly gentleman who had donated his belongings to the department when he lost his home and had no other place to go. At HSC, you see people like him walking around in a daze of shock, loss and disbelief.

We’re all also only one step away from making a meaningful difference in someone’s life. All it takes is a small donation to our campaign. We urge you to step forward with a $5 contribution or a $25 donation to support a neighbor, colleague or friend who has fallen on hard times. This is one step we all can take toward helping others see a brighter future.