Angry Crab Shack Raises $75K for Arizona’s Unhoused Veterans

Locally owned and operated seafood restaurant Angry Crab Shack has raised $75,000 for the Arizona Housing Coalition, a nonprofit that provides resources to veterans experiencing homelessness and their families. Angry Crab Shack has partnered with the Arizona Housing Coalition for six years, and has donated more than $250,000 to date, putting the restaurant at over $1 million in total charitable contributions since opening in 2013. This year’s donation will be presented to the coalition at the grand opening of Angry Crab Shack’s 16th in-state location on Nov. 22 in Tempe.

“One of Angry Crab Shack’s core principles is to be a force of positivity and an active community participant,” said Andy Diamond, Angry Crab Shack president. “It is an honor to uplift our veterans in their time of need as a thank you for their service and sacrifice.”

The Tempe grand opening will kick off with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Tempe’s chamber of commerce, followed by a hot-wing eating competition between the city’s police and fire departments. Members of the Arizona Housing Coalition will be there to commemorate the opening, accept the donation and give a brief statement about the impact the funds will have serving Arizona’s unhoused veteran population.

Services provided by the Arizona Housing Coalition’s StandDown program include hot meals, haircuts, showers and hygiene items with the goal of connecting veterans to services and resources to help end their housing insecurity. Angry Crab Shack’s donation helps fund the nonprofit’s annual StandDown Alliance events, during which veterans and families can access the organization’s services. The Maricopa StandDown is the largest annual event of its kind in the United States. Additionally, the Arizona Housing Coalition’s StandDown program has 13 events throughout the state, serving 12,000 veterans and has helped permanently house more than 2,100 veterans since 2014.

“StandDown is a military term to describe time away from the battle frontlines. These statewide StandDown events work to ensure that Arizona’s veterans are no longer battling life on the streets by connecting them to resources to end their homelessness,” said Joan Serviss, executive director of Arizona Housing Coalition. “Angry Crab Shack’s support of StandDown events has allowed us to reach more veterans in need.”

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit azhousingcoalition.org 

About Karen Werner

Karen Werner is the editor of Frontdoors Media. She is a writer, editor and media consultant. She has interned at The New Yorker, worked at Parents Magazine, edited five books and founded several local magazines. Her work has appeared in Sunset, Mental Floss and the Saturday Evening Post.
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