Archives for April 2020

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/2dKjF6N7oiI”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588281022926{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]As part of their In the Community Conversations, today Thunderbirds’ 2021 Tournament Chairman Scott Jenkins held a virtual chat with Dede Devine, President and CEO of Native American Connections to talk about the current challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, identify the immediate needs of the organization and find out how the community at large can help support the mission of Native American Connections.

Since 1972, Native American Connections has been changing lives, strengthening families, and building healthy communities. They began as a small grassroots organization operating one program for Native American men in recovery from substance abuse. Today, Native American Connections owns and operates 21 sites throughout Central Phoenix, offering a continuum of affordable housing, behavioral health, and community development services which touch and change the lives of over 10,000 individuals and families each year.

“We said two things when COVID started. No one will be evicted and no one will go hungry,” said Devine. “We began really helping our residents understand about rental assistance and utility assistance and how they can apply for federal and state programs that can help them.”

Native American Connections also has focused heavily on food distribution and making sure their guests have adequate nourishment and a safe place to eat.

“We really began organizing around getting food distribution out to our communities,” said Devine. “At first, the schools got really active in making sure there are still meals and everything for children, but some of that is beginning to close now. We’re really makings ure there’s enough food for all the children and families.”

In addition to food service, Native American Connections is bolstering their substance abuse and residential programs during the crisis.

“On the substance abuse recovery side, we have residential and outpatient programs and we didn’t want anyone that was in our residential program to have to leave and go out in the street,” said Devine. “We’ve kept our treatment centers open and we’re sheltering in place, both with our housing residents and our behavioral health residents so we can keep our employees, residents and clients safe.”

How can the community help Native American Connections?

“We have a volunteer coordinator and if you go to our website, nativeconnections.org, you can connect with our volunteer coordinator,” said Devine. “[We] need everything [you can find] in your home. Anything that’s donated helps them take care of their family better, stay stably housed, keep together during this tough time. They need cleaning products and hand sanitizer and toilet paper and canned goods and food.”

Donate Supplies | Volunteer with Native American Connections | Donate Funds

Native American Connections

4520 N. Central Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85012

Phone: 480.821.4207

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As part of the In the Community Conversations, we shift to Thunderbirds’ 2021 Assistant Tournament Chairman Michael Golding checking in with Shelby Peterson of ICAN via virtual conference call to talk about the challenges of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and discussing ways to support ICAN so they can continue to serve the local youth in our community.

ICAN is a free, family-centered youth service in the East Valley that helps to combat substance abuse, gang involvement and juvenile delinquency. ICAN goes beyond being just an after-school program for those at-risk by working with youth on the critical skills they need to be productive and responsible members of the community by empowering them through personal and academic success.

“The COVID-19 crisis has caused us to have low attendance for the first time in our 32-year history,” said Peterson. “We’ve had fewer kids coming to the program than ever before, so we are really pressed to deliver our mission in a way that isn’t group based. What we’ve had to do is pivot and start developing curriculum that we’re now putting out to the community with family friendly activities packed all in a two-gallon Ziploc bag.”

Peterson stated the biggest thing ICAN is doing right now is reaching out to the families and just checking in to see what they need to perform activities at home.

“Supplies are a big issue,” said Peterson. “They can’t get basic supplies, so we’re including everything a family needs to do those activities, whether it’s pencils, pens, crayons, construction paper, scissors, glue, you name it.”

How can the community help ICAN?

“The biggest things we need right now are supplies [to produce] these kits,” said Peterson. “We have an Amazon wish list that has all the supplies we need. Folks have been really generous. They’ve gone on and sponsored crayons and had them sent to the building so our team can get them to the kids.”

To donate supplies, CLICK HERE

“Obviously, financial contributions make a huge difference, so that’s another great way to donate,” continued Peterson.

Visit http://icanaz.org/get-involved to support and donate to ICAN.

ICAN

650 E. Morelos St.

Chandler, AZ 85225

Phone: 480.821.4207

Website

To Donate Funds | To Donate Goods | To Become a Volunteer 

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/U23ZyIKDk8w”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1588021473428{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]As part of our In the Community Conversations, Thunderbirds’ Big Chief Tim Woods checked in with CEO of Special Olympics Arizona (SOAZ) Jamie Heckerman via virtual conference call to discuss the current challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, rally community support and communicate immediate and essential needs so SOAZ can continue to serve the community at large.

For people with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics Arizona is often the only place where they have an opportunity to participate in their communities and develop belief in themselves. For athletes, Special Olympics sports provide a gateway to empowerment, competence, acceptance and joy. The lessons learned in Special Olympics also impact their life skills. Sports training enhances focus and gives participants a structure for learning important lessons about perseverance, endurance and setting goals.

Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of The Thunderbirds – hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open – has been a long-time supporter of SOAZ, recently providing a $1 million donation to fund the completion of their new State Competitions Distribution and Training Center.

“Normally this is our very busy time of year. We have our summer games that are usually right around the corner. Unfortunately, this year that’s not happening,” said Heckerman. “We’ve really had to rethink some of the programming we normally deliver and figure out how we can do that in a different way.”

One of the major changes SOAZ is implementing to combat the effects of the pandemic is moving programming to a digital platform with an emphasis on connectivity and movement.

“On April 6 we launched SOAZ connected, where we’re providing content digitally for our athletes. This is meant to make our athletes think to be more healthy and engage in the community,” said Heckerman. “Also, we’ll be conducting health lessons online, fitness videos in real time, e-sports and other health and fitness content.”

Heckerman also mentioned a desire to create a certain amount of normalcy during these trying times by conducting digital versions of popular events.

“The summer games athlete dance is the highlight of any competition that we put on,” said Heckerman. “Through a program called house party, we’ll have a volunteer DJ that we’ll set up and play music and our athletes can just dance and see their friends and still engage in that way and bring our community back together.”

How can the community help SOAZ?

“We have realized through this that a lot of people out there that have time and talent that aren’t necessarily utilized,” said Heckerman. “If someone has a talent in art or the ability to do a fitness video or knowledge in karate they can share with our athletes, we’re looking for something to share that would engage with our athletes and allow them to have fun.” CLICK HERE To Support and Donate to SOAZ.

Special Olympics Arizona

2455 N Citrus Rd, Bldg. 64

Goodyear, AZ 85395

Phone: (602) 230-1200

Check out the new SOAZ website!

To Donate Funds | To Volunteer | To Connect[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/j5W-QSScxms”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1587416286781{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Today, The Thunderbirds checked in with Darlene Newsom, CEO of UMOM, to discuss the current challenges surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, communicate immediate essential needs and spread their messages to the local communities they serve, rally support and secure vital resources so they may continue to help as much as they can.

Since its inception in 1964, UMOM has been an innovative provider of shelter, housing and services for people experiencing homelessness. UMOM provides safe shelter and supportive services for hundreds of families across the Valley by providing access to affordable housing and special Program Centers for its residents.

Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of The Thunderbirds – hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open – has been a long-time supporter of UMOM, providing monetary funds, clothing donations and other basic necessities to combat the effects of homelessness.

“It’s not business as usual,” said Newsom. “We are an essential service declared by the Governor, so we will be here no matter what. This last week, our wait list went up by 30 percent, so we have 180 families on our wait list. I feel it’s our responsibility to be able to serve those families, so we are opening up 20 more rooms here on the main campus for homeless families.”

The effects of the coronavirus pandemic have led to new challenges UMOM most overcome to continue to help the community.

“[Because of the pandemic] many of our clients have been laid off of their jobs in hospitality and food service,” said Newsom. “We know our clients are going to stay longer. Our average length of stay is usually around 85 days. Families [at UMOM] can stay up to 120 days, but we know families will need to be here longer than that.”

How can the community help UMOM?

“We had a big push the last two weeks for supplies, diapers, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, board games, books for our children and we still need some of those items,” said Newsom. “We have items listed on our website, and now we have an Amazon account which is a really good way to donate.”

Visit umom.org/support-our-work/ to support and donate to UMOM and help them accomplish their mission to end homelessness.

UMOM New Day Centers

3333 E. Van Buren St.

Phoenix, AZ 85007

602-275-7852

Website | To Donate Money | To Donate Goods | Amazon Wishlist

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