Circle the City Awarded $210,000 Grant from Mercy Care to Expand Outreach Services
(PHOENIX – March 20, 2026) – Mercy Care has awarded Circle the City a Mercy C.A.R.E.S. Community Reinvestment Grant in the amount of $210,000. The grant will allow Circle the City – which provides healthcare to people experiencing homelessness in Maricopa County – a second non-clinical outreach team that will engage with individuals facing homelessness within the community and connect them to medical services as well as other community resources.
“This grant will allow our non-clinical connection to care team to meet individuals experiencing homelessness where they are building trust, offering support, and guiding them toward the medical, behavioral health, and community services they need to heal,” said Kim Despres, CEO of Circle the City. “It’s about breaking down barriers and ensuring that no one is left behind in their journey toward better health and stability.”
Mercy Care, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, partners with organizations across Arizona that advance health equity and address social risk factors to improve health outcomes. To give perspective, Mercy Care has invested $40 million in 40 years in programs that address basic needs, mental health, chronic conditions, and health access.
Circle the City offers a wide variety of healthcare services to meet the needs of individuals that are facing homelessness in Maricopa County.
“Services are provided at our Medical Respite Centers, and health centers as well as out in the field with our mobile and street medicine teams,” said Despres. “Our trained staff is always looking for new and innovative ways to help those in need.”
“Circle the City’s Outreach Teams play a vital role in connecting individuals experiencing homelessness with essential healthcare and supportive services. Acting as a bridge between vulnerable populations and Circle the City’s services, these teams engage people directly where they are, on the streets, in encampments, and in shelters, establishing trust and building relationships rooted in dignity and respect,” said Trisha Stuart, community relations director at Mercy Care.
About Circle the City
Circle the City is an Arizona 501(c)(3) nonprofit community health organization committed to providing essential healthcare and compassionate support for underserved individuals facing homelessness in Maricopa County. Services of care include primary care services, integrative outpatient behavioral health and substance abuse services, mobile health outreach services, and medical respite services.
About Mercy Care
Mercy Care is a not-for-profit Medicaid managed care health plan, serving AHCCCS members in Arizona since 1985. Mercy Care is a local company sponsored by Dignity Health and Ascension Health. Mercy Care provides access to physical and behavioral health care services for Medicaid-eligible families, children, seniors, and individuals with developmental/cognitive disabilities. Learn more at www.MercyCareAZ.org.
