Highlights
- West Phoenix High School hosts a monthly food pantry inside a classroom, run in partnership with nonprofit Assistory Outreach Services.
- Jon Taylor, a former professional basketball player, founded Assistory in 2021 and began operating food pantries in January 2026.
- The nonprofit now runs pantries at three locations: Mesa, downtown Phoenix, and west Phoenix.
- Assistory's annual fundraising breakfast is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 5, with tickets still available.
<p>Once a month, a classroom at <a href="https://www.westphoenixhs.com/">West Phoenix High School</a> converts into a food pantry for students and their families, the result of a partnership between the school and Assistory Outreach Services, a Phoenix nonprofit that also runs food distribution sites in Mesa and <a href="/entity/downtown/">downtown</a> Phoenix, Arizona's Family reported Thursday.</p> <p>Principal Alex Horton said the decision to host the pantry was straightforward. "We ask our kids to do more for the community. We ask our teachers to do more, staff to do more, because we can only be as good as each other. We need to help each other out to have a better community. And so for me, it was the perfect fit," Horton said.</p> <p>Jon Taylor, a former professional basketball player, is president and CEO of Assistory Outreach Services. Taylor founded the nonprofit in 2021 with a focus on technology assistance for seniors, homelessness initiatives, and food distribution. The organization began operating food pantries in January 2026. Taylor said he designs each bag to include items suited to all household members, including children, rather than generic staples.</p> <p>Taylor said sustaining the nonprofit requires ongoing volunteer support and donations, particularly as grocery costs rise faster than wages. Assistory holds an annual breakfast and awards fundraiser to fund its operations throughout the year. That event is scheduled for this Friday, with tickets still available through the organization's website.</p> <p>More information on volunteering or donating is available at Assistory Outreach Services' website, linked in the Arizona's Family report.</p>
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 04/09/2026 00:16
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 04/09/2026 00:16. Every claim traces to a source.
