In 1984, Central Arizona Shelter Services (CASS) was incorporated as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization to temporarily meet the community need for emergency shelter to serve Maricopa County’s growing homeless population.  Twenty-five years later, CASS is the largest provider of shelter and supportive services to the homeless in Arizona. CASS shelters nearly 1,000 homeless men, women and children each night in its three shelters and serves the needs of its clients through a continuum of programs.

CASS’ mission is to: “Empower men, women and children with diverse needs to end their homelessness by providing shelter and supportive services”.  While emergency shelter is CASS’ core function, programs and supportive services provide clients with the resources necessary to permanently end their homelessness. 

Today, CASS programs include Employment Services (inception 1987), case management for all clients (inception 1990), the Vista Colina Emergency Family Shelter and Developmental Childcare Program (inception 1993), the CASS Dental Clinic (inception 2001), Emergency Heat and Cold Relief Shelter Program (inception 2005), Men’s Overflow Shelter (inception 2006), Veterans Program (inception 2007) and Street Outreach Engagement Program (inception 2008).  In November 2005, CASS relocated its largest single adult shelter and administrative offices to a new 79,000 square foot facility on the Human Services Campus.