Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of The Thunderbirds – hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open – awarded more than $2.5 million in grants to 56 Valley charities during its 2020 fall funding cycle. Thunderbirds Charities awarded grants of $100,000 or more to seven Valley Charities that included $250,000 to A New Leaf, $205,000 to Society of St. Vincent de Paul, $150,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley, and $150,000 to Hospice of the Valley.

With the fall funding cycle in the books, Thunderbirds Charities has now opened its 2021 spring funding cycle. Information about the spring funding cycle can be found at www.ThunderbirdsCharities.org.

“Without a doubt, giving back to our communities is the most rewarding thing about what we do as tournament hosts,” said Tim Woods, President of Thunderbirds Charities.  “We’re thrilled and so proud to give these grants to deserving organizations around the Valley. It’s an honor to have such a positive impact for those in need in our community, especially this year with so many challenges and obstacles. We know 2021 will still be a difficult year for so many charities in need, and while we understand we won’t be able to raise as much money as we typically do from the 2021 Waste Management Phoenix Open, we will do our best to support those that are most vulnerable.”

The $250,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities will support A New Leaf’s Phoenix Day Early Childhood Education Program and Therapeutic Behavioral Health After School & Summer Programs, providing opportunities for marginalized children to overcome social and racial inequities and to break the cycle of poverty.

With the grant of $205,000, St. Vincent de Paul will be able to purchase and install new industrial equipment in their kitchen, dining rooms and food pantry warehouse. This will serve tens of millions of meals for years to come; revolutionize the way they process, organize and distribute millions of pounds of food each year; and create an environmentally sustainable, cost-effective program to Feed Arizona’s Food-Insecure Community.

Thunderbirds Charities’ grant of $150,000 will allow Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley to upgrade the technology at its 25 Clubs throughout Maricopa County to address the “digital divide” by providing Internet access to its low-income, at-risk and other youth. The Bridging the Digital Divide Project will ensure all of the youth served have access at their local Club so they can complete their homework, assignments, and participate in the Clubs’ STEM and other educational activities.

Another grant of $150,000 will go to support Hospice of the Valley’s (HOV) Dementia Care & Education Campus, specifically the Adult Center Activity Room and Art Room which will allow HOV to continue their compassionate, palliative care fro adults and children with life-limiting illness.

Additional grants awarded from the fall 2020 cycle:

 

 

ABOUT THE THUNDERBIRDS/THUNDERBIRDS CHARITIES

Thunderbirds Charities is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to distribute monies raised through the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. The Thunderbirds Charities Board consists of 15 board members from varying professional backgrounds. The mission of Thunderbirds Charities is to assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in our communities. The organization’s giving is directed toward organizations based or with a significant presence in Arizona. The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 280 “life” members. For more information on the Thunderbirds or Thunderbirds Charities, visit www.thunderbirdscharities.org. 

 

ABOUT THE WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN

The 2021 WM Phoenix Open will be held at TPC Scottsdale February 1-7. “The People’s Open” was named the Tournament of the Year by the PGA TOUR four times in the past six years (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019) to acknowledge the tournament’s legendary status as one the most unique events in golf. The 2021 edition will mark the 86th playing of the event (one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR) and the 12th as the WM Phoenix Open.  For more information visit www.wmphoenixopen.com.