Welcome to Cornerstone
Cornerstone Mission Project, Inc. is a Christian organization dedicated to helping people help themselves. It is our God-given call to see people who are at the bottom of their life, who are drug or alcohol dependant, or who have just given up hope, reclaim their dignity, reclaim their destiny, and reclaim their desire to live happy, productive lives. It is through partnerships with the community and loving, concerned individuals like you, that we can make this happen!
Cornerstone Mission Project is a tax deductible 501(c)3 private, nonprofit organization serving the homeless, needy and poor people of Mohave County, Arizona, without regard to race, color, national origin, religious background, age, sex or handicap. (Alternative accommodations available upon request.)
We provide food to our residents and the general public, serving more than 25,000 meals in 2004. We also provide clothing and showers to those in need, and are partners with One-Stop in providing assistance in writing resumes and finding jobs. We help the community by offering free use of health-care equipment such as crutches, wheelchairs, walkers and hospital beds. And we offer life-skills classes such as budgeting, balancing a checkbook, completing job applications and successful interview techniques.
In short, we are ready, willing and able to do whatever it takes to help people get their lives back in order, and return to stable, independent living.
- Our funding depends on the contributions of concerned individuals and organizations. All contributions are tax-deductible.
- We do not solicit door to door, or in front of stores. Please report imposters to us immediately.
- We are partners with the State of Arizona, DES, FEMA, Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness and the Westside Food Bank. Our Director serves on the local Workforce Investment Board for Mohave and La Paz Counties.
For more information, read our newsletter!
Services
Employment -- Working with temporary employment services and business owners in the area, we help our residents find jobs. Sometimes this is a matter of simply completing an application with a temp service; other times it involves writing resumes that focus on specific skills the resident may have, then performing online job searches and/or personal interviews with prospective employers.
As a result of a close and trusting relationship with area businesses, and residents that are willing and ready to assume the responsibility that comes with employment, Cornerstone has become a first-call for temp services and other employers that are looking for men to work. This, of course, has led to a fairly high success rate in helping residents find jobs, and keep them.
Budget/Banking -- Once a resident begins receiving income from employment, our case manager helps him set up a budget and a savings account. Compass Bank in Kingman has been an excellent resource in these cases, offering a 'second chance' service; i.e., full banking services to men who have prior financial problems resulting from credit card debt, overdrafts, or simply no credit history at all.
Dorm Residency -- Each man who comes to Cornerstone begins with a one-week observation period. During this time, an evaluation is done to determine the man's needs, his capabilities, and his willingness to begin a new life. At the end of the first week, a full intake is done and the man enters our Dorm Residency program. The resident stays in the dorm, pays rent and laundry expenses, and is assigned household chores regardless of any other employment he may have. If there are prior alcohol- or drug-related issues, the resident is required to attend regular AA and/or NA meetings. The resident is also required to select two other activities from our schedule, making a total of three supervised activities per week.
Phase 2 Residency -- As early as possible, residents are encouraged to enter Cornerstone's Phase 2 Residency program. This moves the resident into a semi-private room, extends his curfew two hours, and allows weekend passes. At this point in time, the resident has demonstrated a strong sense of responsibility to himself, his fellow residents and visitors at Cornerstone, and to his employer. He has also demonstrated the ability to meet a budget and set money aside for his exit date, at which time Cornerstone helps him secure permanent living quarters, whether an apartment or a single-family dwelling. Upon exit, the resident is financially able to pay typical expenses for his own dwelling, such as first and last month rent, cleaning and/or security deposits, utility hookups, etc.
Additionally, Cornerstone offers the following services free of charge to anyone in need:
Meals -- We serve a hot dinner from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week, 365 days a year. And far from being a simple bowl of soup, our menu contains a wide variety of delicious dishes, including fried chicken, barbecue, roasts and meatloaf, enchiladas, salads, fruit, soft drinks, coffee, tea, and dessert.
Showers -- Many of our visitors come just to shower. They are provided with fresh soap, shampoo, toothpaste and brush, combs, razors and lotion. And if they need fresh clothing, they are welcome to our clothing pantry.
Clothing Pantry -- We maintain a well stocked pantry of clothing for men, women and children, including shirts, pants, dresses and blouses, under garments, shoes, belts, caps and coats. Residents may select two sets of clothes twice a week; visitors, two sets of clothing once a week.
