12-year-old Philanthropist Aims for New Heights with Fundraising Event

A  young Norterra resident is working to help put an end homelessness and is asking for community support to help advance her mission.

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For 12-year-old Mara Northey, what started out as a Girl Scout project to help earn a Bronze Award, has grown into a deeper, overarching mission to help gain community support to put an end to homelessness. As a scout, she was tasked with selecting an issue of her choice within her own community in which she could help make a difference. 

“During my car rides to Target and Costco, I would see so many homeless people. I knew I wanted to find a project that could help give them a hand up for a better future,” Mara told Valley Vibe. 

After connecting with Trevor’s Vision, a local 501c3 that serves the homeless in downtown Phoenix, Mara quickly got to work. At age 10 at the time, she collected over 300 pairs of shoes for the non-profit’s annual Christmas shoe giveaway. The Phoenix nonprofit is dedicated to serving individuals experiencing homelessness through mobile showers, laundry services, meals, clothing, and other essential resources.

“I would love to start my own nonprofit someday with a focus on ending homelessness and making sure everyone in the world has access to the services they need and affordable housing. These are our neighbors and when everyone works together to help each other out, we create a better, more thriving community.

Mara Northey – Norterra resident

Last year, Mara set her sights on bigger goals, with more community involvement. She wanted to bring the community together in a fun way, so she tied her love for rock climbing in with the mission to create what has now become an annual event at Gecko Climbing Gym, where she is a member of the youth climbing team.

Last year’s Climb for Phoenix event exceeded her expectations, bringing in enough donations and funds to provide a two-year supply of new underwear for Trevor’s Vision to hand out to those in need.

And, this year’s event promises community fun for all ages, including climbers, local business leaders, families and community members for an evening of rock climbing, raffles and giving back. All donations for the raffle baskets were solicited and collected by Mara, and this year’s raffle baskets are worth over $7,700, she told Valley Vibe. 

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Climb for Phoenix event features include:

• Rock climbing for all skill levels (spectators welcome)
• Raffle prizes from local businesses
• Cotton candy donated by Texas Roadhouse
• Photo booth experience donated by Impact DJ’s
• Re Di Roma Wood Fired Pizza Food Truck with a 10% giveback
• Opportunities to support Trevor’s Vision through donations and essential item drives

The event welcomes climbers of all ages as well as guests who simply want to cheer on participants, enter raffles, or learn more about Trevor’s Vision and the growing Climb for Phoenix movement.

Community members who are unable to attend can still support the mission through donations or sponsorship opportunities.

As for Mara, she intends to continue to build upon her mission to help change lives.

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