JUMP INTO THIS ISSUE
THE LEAD
As parents, Brad and I work hard to give our boys a childhood filled with good memories, a sense of security, and the freedom to just be kids.
Life doesn't always make that easy, and we've learned how much it matters to have people in your corner when things get difficult. We're grateful for the support we've had along the way, and it's one reason the work of our local food banks feels especially close to home.
Every year, I try and take one of the boys to help pack meals at a local food bank. It's a small way for our family to pitch in, and for our kids to see what it looks like when neighbors show up for one another.
This week, we're excited to introduce some of the wonderful people behind our neighborhood food banks and share how you can get involved.
NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS
These four organizations offer ways to donate food, give financially, volunteer or pass along useful information to someone who needs it.
PV Community Food Bank: 40 years at 32nd Street & Shea
What started with a handful of neighbors collecting groceries in their garages in 1986 has grown into 40 years of feeding families in the area.
Today, PV Community Food Bank remains entirely volunteer-run, operating without government funding and relying on donations from neighbors, businesses and community groups. Its volunteers have contributed more than 15,000 hours in one year.
This Thanksgiving, the food bank is collecting frozen turkeys, and a new grant-funded walk-in freezer is helping the team accommodate more holiday donations.
BEYOND THE FOOD BOX
The food bank's work extends into local schools, too. Since 2006, its Weekend Food4Kids program has provided meals and snacks for children at Title I schools to take home on Fridays.
The organization also spends approximately $5,000 annually supplying school nurses with juice and crackers for students who need them.
And the schools give back. In 2024, students at Palomino Intermediate collected an impressive 1,800 pounds of food for the bank in a single school drive.
WHERE: 10862 N. 32nd St., Phoenix, north of Shea Boulevard.
GIVE: Frozen turkeys for Thanksgiving or pantry basics such as canned chicken, peanut butter, cereal and soap.
Cash gifts may qualify for Arizona’s 2026 charitable tax credit
DROP OFF / FOOD DRIVES: Monday – Friday, 9 am – 3:30 pm; Saturday, 9 – 11:30 am.
Organizing a food drive? The bank can supply collection boxes and may arrange to pick up donations.
NEED GROCERIES? Call 602-867-9228 for eligibility and arrange assistance. Donation drop-off hours are not pickup hours.
Scottsdale Food Bank: donate to its Thanksgiving program
Scottsdale’s food bank handled 536,423 pounds of donated and rescued food across 4,250 volunteer hours in 2024–25, according to the city's annual report.
The food bank is collecting unopened, unexpired groceries for its 2026 Thanksgiving program.
Volunteers can also help accept and sort donations, assemble food boxes and keep the operation running.
Prefer to give money or sponsor a family? Scottsdale also offers an Adopt-A-Family program with online contributions and family sponsorships.
Scottsdale Community Partners helps provide groceries for homebound seniors through its Brown Bag program. Learn how to help.
WHERE: 7601 E. McKellips Rd., Building C, Scottsdale. Call ahead for current donation drop-off instructions.
GIVE FOR THANKSGIVING: Bring unopened, unexpired groceries to 7601 E. McKellips Rd., Building C. Call 480-312-2323 first for priority needs and holiday drop-off instructions.
VOLUNTEER: Applications are open to sort donations, prepare food boxes and help with daily operations.
NEED GROCERIES? Scottsdale residents can call 480-312-2323 for a food-box appointment. Ask about limited satellite pickup if needed.
Desert Mission: a turkey distribution on November 21
Desert Mission Food Bank distributed more than 4 million pounds of food on-site in 2025. During last year’s Thanksgiving giveaway, it handed out 2,000 turkeys and holiday groceries in just three hours.
On Saturday, November 21, it plans to distribute another 2,000 turkeys, plus produce, potatoes and holiday groceries, through a walk-up event with an ADA-accessible vehicle route.
Recipients must be present, and the food bank limits distributions to one per family. A cart or wagon is worth bringing: the holiday groceries come in a large package.
WHERE 9229 N. 4th St., Phoenix, outside our immediate corridor but available to families across the Valley.
GET HELP Saturday, Nov. 21, 7am until supplies run out. No ID or intake form is required for this event, and one distribution is available per family.
• ARRIVAL & PARKING N. 4th St. and the food-bank parking lots close to regular traffic. Look for parking near N. 5th St.; ADA vehicles enter from N. 3rd St. at Hatcher. Bring a cart or wagon.
GIVE Give to HonorHealth’s Thanksgiving Drive to help purchase turkeys and groceries for Nov. 21. Food donations: Mon–Thu, 8 am – 1 pm; use the truckyard beside the fire station and ring the side bell. Nov. 21 volunteer slots are full.
St. Mary's Food Bank: three Scottsdale drop-offs
St. Mary’s works with more than 600 nonprofit partners across Arizona, while its volunteers pack over 110,000 food boxes each month.
On Saturday, November 21, its Super Saturday drive will collect turkeys, pantry staples and monetary gifts at 23 Valley sites, including three in Scottsdale. The food bank says every $1 donated can help provide five meals.
WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 21, 9 am – 1 pm.
DROP OFFS:
Safeway, 10773 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Albertsons, 11475 E. Via Linda
Albertsons, 6965 N. Hayden Rd.
GIVE: Frozen turkeys, nonperishable groceries (cereal, pasta, canned protein or fruit) and monetary contributions.
You can also organize an online food-and-fund drive.
VOLUNTEER: Food-box packing shifts typically run 2–3 hours. Ages 12–15 can volunteer with an adult; ages 16+ on their own. Sign up online for available shifts.
NEED GROCERIES? Use St. Mary’s ZIP-code food locator to find a distribution closer to home. Hours and eligibility vary by location.
Having someone in your corner can make all the difference. Whether you want to drop off groceries, volunteer or find food for your own table, we hope this gives you a useful place to start.
NEWS UPDATE
The Phoenix Symphony returns November 12
Only days after suspending its 2026–27 season and laying off 66 musicians, the Phoenix Symphony announced on November 6 that emergency fundraising has made a return possible. Performances are now scheduled to resume Thursday, November 12, with funding secured through December 31.
The opening program is Brahms’ Serenade No. 1 at the MIM.
Symphony leaders say they'll need additional support for performances in 2027, and a new commission will work on the organization's long-term finances, with musicians represented.
NEIGHBORHOOD TIPS
Hosting Thanksgiving, but only have one oven?
Feeding a crowd gets complicated when dishes need different oven temperatures and guests have different dietary needs. List your serving time, appliances and food restrictions, then ask an AI assistant for a menu and cooking timeline that avoids oven conflicts.
TRY THIS PROMPT
“Plan Thanksgiving for [number] guests at [time], including [dietary needs]. My kitchen has [equipment]. Build a make-ahead menu and hour-by-hour cooking schedule. Flag any oven-temperature conflicts and ingredients I should verify.”
HAT TIP: Thanks AI for Daily Living for inspiring this tip! They include a more detailed walkthrough and a ready-to-use Thanksgiving meal-planning prompt.
That grocery-store sale price isn't always automatic
Some advertised discounts require you to clip the offer to your loyalty account before checkout, even if you already use your phone number for rewards.
Fry's refreshes its weekly digital deals on Wednesdays, and Safeway lets you scan products in its app to check for available offers.
Take a minute to load your coupons before shopping, then check your receipt to make sure the savings applied.
DEALS AROUND SHEA
One week of yoga classes, FREE
Sumits Yoga is giving new students a full week of unlimited classes at its Shea studio. There is no credit card or ongoing commitment required for the trial.
Regular drop-in classes are listed at $25, so this is a genuine chance to try several styles before deciding whether you want to return.
SUMITS YOGA • 7000 E. SHEA BLVD., SUITE B-1470 • CLAIM THE CLASS
$40 off your first massage
A little relaxation before the holiday rush? Elements Massage at the Shops at 94th and Shea offers new clients an introductory 60-minute massage for $89 instead of $129.
Consultation and dressing time are included in the hour; therapist upgrades and enhancements cost extra.
ELEMENTS MASSAGE • 9343 E. SHEA BLVD., SUITE 120 • SEE OPTIONS
Happy hour doesn't have to mean settling for bar snacks. The Herb Box on Shea serves up $12 shared plates Monday through Friday, 3–6pm. Enjoy options like pear-and-gorgonzola flatbread, crispy Brussels sprout chips, a mezze board and Korean fried cauliflower.
Grab a friend, order a few plates and turn an ordinary weekday afternoon into something worth looking forward to.
THE HERB BOX • 7000 E. SHEA BLVD., SUITE G1010 • HAPPY-HOUR MENU
WHAT TO EAT
Cumin-Lime Chicken with Sweet Potatoes & Avocado Salsa
A little cumin and smoked paprika give the chicken warmth, while browned sweet potatoes make it feel like a full dinner. The avocado-tomato salsa brings the lime, cilantro and crunch, so you get something fresh with every bite.
WAIT, YOU CAN DO THAT AROUND SHEA?
Champagne sabering in Paradise Valley
Every Friday at sunset, Mountain Shadows hosts a Champagne-sabering demonstration on Hearth ’61's patio, complete with a complimentary tasting and toast against the backdrop of Camelback Mountain.
But the sabering is just the beginning.
Stick around for dinner at Hearth ’61, where seasonal American dishes come from an open exhibition kitchen and signature hearth oven. Or settle into the resort's oval-shaped bar for craft cocktails, creative mocktails and lounge bites.
Live music runs every Friday and Saturday 8–11 pm.
Check out a performance from Eleeza's Desert Flower this Friday, (11/13)
There's more to discover, too. Mountain Shadows has its own art gallery, currently featuring Schools of Thought, an exhibition of paintings, drawings and architectural artwork through November 30.
Make It Special
The resort offers a private Champagne-sabering experience for two at $300 plus tax, including a full bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. You can also book private cooking demonstrations with Chef Charles Wiley or guided wine and spirits tastings for an additional charge.
Mountain Shadows Resort, 5445 E. Lincoln Dr., Paradise Valley.
*Confirm the Friday sabering time before visiting. Hearth ’61 accepts dinner reservations, and dining guests can have valet parking validated.
Restaurant-supply shopping without a membership
Shamrock Foodservice Warehouse opens Saturday, Nov. 21, at 10810 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite 103. Anyone can shop restaurant-size meats, produce and pantry supplies without a membership or minimum purchase. Listed hours are 7am–7pm daily. DETAILS
Celebrate Veterans Day at the Train Park
The city’s Veterans Day ceremony is Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 3 pm at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park, 7301 E. Indian Bend Rd. Admission is free; music begins at 2:30 pm, and former Navy SEAL Lt. Rob Sarver will speak. DETAILS
COMING FRIDAY: Is your pool ready for winter?
Cooler weather means it's time to rethink your pool routine. This Friday, we're sharing a practical guide to putting your Phoenix pool in winter mode, including what to adjust, what to keep doing and a few mistakes worth avoiding.
ASK YOUR NEIGHBORS
What kind of local deal should we hunt down next?
*Or reply directly to this newsletter, or email [email protected]