What makes lasting change possible is not any single program or funding stream — it’s a community that shows up. This spring, Heading Home experienced that in remarkable ways.
A warm meal on a cold night. New flooring that can make a building feel like home. Miles run for neighbors they’d never met. Mattresses so people could finally rest. The generosity of Albuquerque businesses and organizations made a tangible difference for the individuals we serve.
We want to take a moment to recognize and thank some of our partner organizations who made it happen.
Slice Out Hunger & Slice and Dice Pizzeria
Hunger doesn’t take a night off, and neither does Slice Out Hunger. In partnership with local pizzeria Slice and Dice, Slice Out Hunger delivered pizza for 100 people at our Albuquerque Opportunity Center (AOC) shelter and for 30 clients at Gateway Medical Respite. For individuals who are navigating serious illness while recovering on our campus, or men working toward stability in our shelter, a warm meal from the community carries more than calories, it carries the message that people care.
Group 1 Toyota Albuquerque
Earlier this spring, Group 1 Toyota Albuquerque made a $5,000 donation to help purchase mattresses at AOC. A good night’s sleep is not a luxury. It is a foundation. For men in our shelter who are working to stabilize their lives, better rest means better capacity to engage with case management, pursue employment, and move toward permanent housing. We are grateful to Group 1 Toyota for investing in that foundation.
Raby’s Home Solutions
Raby’s Home Solutions recently donated flooring. The new flooring will be installed in our portable buildings, which house our community room and ladies’ respite dorm. These are spaces where our program participants gather, connect, and rest. A well-maintained, dignified space reinforces what we believe every day: that the people we serve deserve environments that reflect their worth. Installation is coming soon, and we cannot wait to see the difference it makes.
Goodman’s Office Furniture
Behind every client interaction is a Heading Home team member working to coordinate care, connect resources, and build trust. Goodman’s Office Furniture made that work a little easier and a lot more comfortable with an in-kind donation of office furniture now used by our staff. When our team has what they need to do their jobs well, the people we serve are better for it.
Dunn-Edwards Paint
Dunn-Edwards Paint donated paint and primer that’s helping bring new life to our shelter spaces. A fresh coat of paint might seem like a small gesture, but for people rebuilding their lives after instability or trauma, an environment that feels cared for sends a powerful message: this place matters, and so do you. We’re grateful to Dunn-Edwards for helping us create spaces that feel more like home
RunFit
This past April, RunFit dedicated their marathon and running event to Heading Home, raising $3,000 for our neighbors experiencing homelessness. Behind that number are real people who showed up, laced up, and chose to run for someone else. That kind of community generosity means everything to us.
A Community That Believes in This Work
Homelessness ends one person, one family at a time and it ends faster when a community stands behind that work.
"Slice Out Hunger, Slice and Dice Pizzeria, Group 1 Toyota Albuquerque, Raby's Home Solutions, Goodman's Office Furniture, Dunn-Edwards Paint and RunFit are proof that Albuquerque believes in the people we serve."
This is just a glimpse of the generosity that has carried Heading Home through the first half of this year, not a complete list of everyone who has shown up for our mission. As Heading Home’s new Director of Development, I’d love to connect with more Albuquerque businesses and organizations ready to make a difference, whether you’re interested in supporting our programs or want to be recognized for a gift already given. Please reach out. We’d welcome the chance to build that relationship. Please email Shanae at shanaee@headinghome.org.
