Rob Schumacher/The Republic
Attorney Ben Crump announces a lawsuit against the state of Arizona outside the Old Maricopa County Courthouse on Jan. 28, 2025, in Phoenix.
Tag: Community Assistance
PHOENIX — Dozens of sober living providers claim they were improperly targeted and forced to close their doors nearly two years after the state sounded the alarm on a $2 billion sober living crisis.
“The state suspended, terminated, and got rid of people with a knee-jerk reaction. They did not give people due process,” said Pastor Andre Miller, vice president of the Arizona Conference of NAACP.
PHOENIX — Outside a house of refuge, the community gathers and works to find hope. But this month, violence is evident in the Valley.
"I'd rather have a conversation with my kids than bury them,” says Andre Miller, a pastor at New Beginnings Christian Church.
He is also a father to five boys ranging from 19 to 27 years old.
"I've always tried to talk to them about conflict resolution and what it looks like and stepping away from a situation versus escalating the situation,” Miller said.
The state crackdown on fraudulent and excessive billing for outpatient behavioral health services has not waivered since its May announcement.
If anything, the Arizona Heath Care Cost Containment System’s actions under the American Indian Health Program has accelerated.
The agency added 64 providers to its list of suspension last month alone – bringing the total number of suspensions since May to 226.
Eight of the latest suspensions are in Mesa.
Rev. Andre Miller, pastor of the New Beginnings Church in Mesa, has been speaking with many providers and clients affected by the crackdown.
The state’s actions are “bleeding out many businesses and that’s not OK,” he said.
Miller has been working with suspended providers to try to find new housing for people facing displacement from sober living homes.
He believes the state was unprepared to handle the surge of people displaced from housing connected with suspended behavioral health clinics.
NerdWallet found in it’s annual credit card study that the average American will pay $1,380 in interest alone this year, if interest rates don’t rise again.
PHOENIX — Higher prices on goods, incomes not rising to meet them and rising interest rates are part of what a new study said is leading to Americans carrying more credit card debt.
NerdWallet found in its annual credit card study that the average American will pay $1,380 in interest alone this year if interest rates don’t rise again.
Tough times
Getting calls for financial help isn’t new for Pastor Andre Miller’s New Beginnings Christian Church in Mesa.
But, lately, it’s the people he’s getting calls from that have changed.
“We’ve got a lot more calls from people who are actually working that need assistance,” Miller said.
Miller said these are people who have families to feed, with both parents working jobs but are still struggling to make ends meet.
“They’re coming up short on groceries; they're coming up short on utilities; they're coming up short on car notes. So people are just not being able to stretch like they used to,” Miller said.
As Miller has seen federal COVID relief funding running out, he’s noticed more people needing help amid inflation and rent increases.
“It's sad because we would love to help everybody. But we're just not able to do that,” Miller said.
Credit card debt rising
NerdWallet’s study found the amount of credit card debt people have in the United States has risen amid inflation and interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve.
Michael Sullivan, with Take Charge America, a non-profit that offers financial counseling, said more people are calling lately in need of help.
While January is usually busier for Take Charge America after holiday spending, Sullivan notes, people are blaming high gas prices, as well as rent and food increases.
“We’re seeing folks now routinely having over 20% APR on a credit card,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said the higher interest rates are affecting how quickly people can address credit card debt.
“It's very difficult to pay down the principal. So people are carrying those balances longer and longer. And everything is costing more and more. And it's more and more difficult for people to catch up,” Sullivan said.
"Sneakier way to get into debt"
However, it’s not just credit card debt Americans are taking on.
NerdWallet found nearly 1 in 5 Americans have used a buy now, pay later option in the last year.
Matt Vian, a financial advisor with Northsight Wealth Management, said it presents the same problem as credit cards.
“It’s still going to cost the price it's going to cost you,” Vian said. “And a lot of times, these places have high-interest rates as well. So it’s a much sneakier way to get into debt.”
Pay high-interest credit cards first
To work on tackling debt, Sullivan recommends paying down high-interest credit cards first.
“You have to make minimum payments on every other bill you have. And try to find a few extra dollars, however many it is, to attack that highest-interest credit card and get it paid off quickly,” Sullivan said.
Vian also recommends writing down all debts owed to figure out what to tackle first.
“What your account balance is, what the amount of debt that you owe is, and then also the minimum payment that you have, and the interest rate,” Vian said.
“Write it all out to really take a look and assess, ‘What is my situation?’”
Hardships continue
Still, Sullivan is anticipating challenges ahead in 2023.
“I am afraid this is going to create another wave like we had during the last crunch back in the 2000s,” Sullivan said. “And I hope not; I hope that people can cut back on their spending and keep it in control.”
Still, Miller will be working to help those he can help in these tough times.
“It's going to take all of us those in the position of need, and those who are not in a position of need to put our heads together and figure out what can we do as a society to make things better for everybody, Miller said.
Colleen Sikora
https://www.12news.com/article/money/americans-are-carrying-more-credit-card-debt-how-financial-experts-suggest-tackling-it/75-dd11d4a8-5640-4779-9391-fa6dc90296da
Church Donates A Minivan To Family Of 7; Continues To Help Out Others – Christianity Daily
The pandemic has struck most Americans–unemployment cases on the rise and no money to spare. This has been the case for Fallon LaGuerra and her family, she has lost her job during the pandemic and on top of that she has to take care of her seven children. She thought she was alone in this struggle–but the Church had her back.
Pastor Andre Miller Sr. of New Beginnings Christian Church knew her situation and he wanted to take action and help her out. He and the other members of the Christian Church wanted to help a struggling sister out. At the same time of losing her job, LaGuerra’s family car also broke down. With no money to spare for repairs, she decided to let it go.
However, Pastor Miller decided to help out with her struggles and immediately went on Facebook to post an inquiry. He asked who can help him out in donating a minivan to a deserving and worthy mother, ABC15 reports. In no time, his post was answered by people who were willing to help out.
Jeremy Whitaker, a former council member in Mesa, saw the pastor’s Facebook post and shared it. The nonprofit group, “Helping Hands for Single Moms” and the Neighborhood Auto Repair Professionals (NAPRO), teamed up and repaired a minivan that would be donated to LaGuerra and her family
LaGuerra was still clueless on what was happening. She was just about to have her usual chat with Pastor Miller but little did she know he would surprise her and her family with the minivan.
“It’s amazing. It’s amazing because you don’t see that in too many places. I know the pastor’s heart is in a good place,” LaGuerra happily shared.
She is very much thankful for the people of her community who went out their way to help struggling people just like her. She believes it was divine intervention that helped her receive these gifts from the community.
Pastor Miller already has a history of helping people out during the pandemic. His church community has started a fundraiser to help people out struggling people in need. Kristen Smith, a single mother and a frequent churchgoer from the community, was helped by the community and was given $250 which was enough to cover her expenses.
Pastor Andre Miller Sr. of New Beginnings Christian Church
The New Beginnings Christian Church does not only help the people from their community but they really help those who are in need. Tattoo artist Beau Banks did not attend Pastor Miller’s church, yet it was the same church that helped him. All Banks needed to do was ask and he did receive help.
He was about to be evicted from his home if it were not for the help of Pastor Miller’s church. “I almost came to tears, yet it was pretty moving,” Banks shared.
Pastor Miller’s church is just one of the many churches that have helped thousands of people ever since the pandemic happened. Continuously spreading the good news and the good mission of the Lord.
(Edited to add photos from Pastor Andre Miller Sr.)
Auto repair network donates minivan to mother of 7 with help from church – ABC15 Arizona
It was a special day for Fallon LaGuerra and her family. It’s a day she thought would start with a simple chat with her pastor, Andre Miller of New Beginnings Christian Church.
Pastor Miller and other members of the community in Mesa had other plans.
Fallon lost her job last year due to the pandemic and her car broke down, too. All this while she took care of her seven children.
When Pastor Miller found out about her struggles, he went into action.
He posted on Facebook, asking for anyone who could donate a minivan to the deserving mother.
The post was answered immediately, Miller says.
“A buddy, who used to be a council member in Mesa, Jeremy Whitaker, he saw it, he shared it. The person he shared it with was able to meet the need that we had.”
With the help of the nonprofit “Helping Hands for Single Moms,” and the Neighborhood Auto Repair Professionals, or NARPRO, a donated and repaired minivan would now belong to Fallon and her family.
James Garnand of NARPRO believes a higher calling is what brought everything together.
“Somebody above directed this situation. It wasn’t really done by us or anybody standing here. It’s just the way things happened to come together,” Garnand stated.
Whether it be coincidence, or divine intervention, Fallon is thankful to her East Valley community for helping her and her family.
“It’s amazing. It’s amazing because you don’t see that in too many places. I know the pastor’s heart is in a good place.”
Valley church helping neighbors pay rent – ABC15 Arizona
MESA, AZ — A Valley church is showing the community they are there for them by handing out cash to those who need help paying their rent.
Pastor Andre Miller, with New Beginnings Christian Church in Mesa said he felt compelled to do something after hearing so many stories about people losing their jobs, and wondering how they would make ends meet.
“The need is there so we just sprang into action. I just wanted to make sure we could do something to help mitigate some of these burdens people are experiencing right now in this pandemic,” said Miller.
The church started a fundraiser to help neighbors in need. So far they have been able to help eight struggling families.
One of them was Kristen Smith, a single mother who lost her job at the bank. Smith has been tapping into her savings to pay her bills.
“My rent still needs to be paid, I still have an electric bill, my car payment, insurance needs to be paid,” said Smith.
The church helped her with $250 dollars which was enough to cover her expenses after she used some of her own money from her savings account.
Cheris Jackson is another Valley woman who is extremely grateful to get help from her pastor. “I was real worried until the pastor reached out to me. I am the type of person, I don’t like asking,” said Jackson.
Tattoo artist Beau Banks did not attend Pastor Miller’s church, yet he too got a helping hand when he reached out for help.
“I almost like came to tears, yet it was pretty moving,” said Banks, who said he would have been evicted had he not received help from the church.
Miller said the church is raising funds so they can help more families in need.
You can help them out by visiting their fundraising page here.