Brian Garcia Welcome Center offers hope, essential resources 24/7

PHOENIX (STN) – For many individuals experiencing homelessness, hope begins at the Brian Garcia Welcome Center. Known as “the front door” and “the heart” of Key Campus, the center is more than a point of entry—it’s the first step toward stability, safety, and connection.

“Every journey starts at the Brian Garcia Welcome Center,” said Medina Dixon, program manager at Key Campus. “We have about 15 different agencies here, all working together to help people who walk through our doors.”

What makes the welcome center unique is its commitment to being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In a world where most services have closing hours, the welcome center recognizes that homelessness is a round-the-clock crisis that doesn’t pause on evenings, weekends, or holidays.

Each day, the center serves 50 to 75 individuals, providing immediate support and guiding them toward the next steps. “I like to think of our job like first responders,” said crisis intervention specialist Demetrius Todd. “We never know what situation will come through the door. Someone shows up in crisis, and we’re here to listen, assess, and connect them to resources.”

That assessment process begins with an intake, registration, and vulnerability index, helping staff determine the best way to help each individual. Sometimes it means arranging shelter. Sometimes it means reuniting a person with family across the country. “We’ll call their family, ask if they can come stay, and even buy a Greyhound ticket to get them there,” said welcome center supervisor Jackie Contreras.

In addition to connecting people with long-term solutions, the center meets urgent needs with clothing, water, restrooms, and emergency showers. Volunteers like Gerry Corrigan return week after week, drawn by the mission. “It feels good to be part of something that makes a difference,” Corrigan said.

At its core, the Brian Garcia Welcome Center offers more than services—it offers dignity, respect, and hope. “Our clients need a voice, an advocate, a sense of hope,” Dixon said. “We have to be the people fighting for them when no one else does.”

Open every hour of every day, the welcome center stands as a powerful reminder: no one should be left waiting for help.