WM Phoenix Open

FALL FUNDING CYCLE IS NOW OPEN AT THUNDERBIRDSCHARITIES.ORG

Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of The Thunderbirds – hosts of the [geoswitch][geoswitch_case country_code=”US” state_code=”AZ”]Waste Management Phoenix Open Presented by the Ak-Chin Indian Community[/geoswitch_case][geoswitch_case]Waste Management Phoenix Open[/geoswitch_case][/geoswitch] – awarded $3.85 million in grants to 65 Valley charities during its Spring 2019 funding cycle.  Most notably, Thunderbirds Charities granted $265,000 to Teach For America, $250,000 to VOS YMCA (Valley of the Sun), $200,00 to Maricopa Health Foundation, $100,000 to Teen Lifeline, and $100,000 to Homeless ID Project.

Additionally, Thunderbirds Charities announced it has now opened its 2019 fall funding cycle at www.ThunderbirdsCharities.org

“Giving back and providing much-needed support to children and families is the most fulfilling thing about what we do as tournament hosts,” said Chance Cozby, President of Thunderbirds Charities.  “We’re happy to provide these grants to deserving organizations around the Valley. It’s an honor to see how the funds raised  from the Waste Management Phoenix Open impacts those in need in our communities.”

The $265,000 donation to Teach For America will support local recruitment and training of 25 promising leaders in Phoenix. As a result of The Thunderbirds investment, the TFA Phoenix 2019 corps will increase educational access and opportunity for more than 5,700 students across the valley.

“I’m already so impressed with this group of leaders. They’re bright, ambitious and driven,” said TFA Regional Board Chair Jim Swanson. “With the support of Thunderbirds Charities, they will now have the opportunity to serve in the communities that need it the most, and to change the lives of students growing up in Arizona.”

The $250,000 donation to VOS YMCA will go towards Camp Sky-Y renovation; specifically renovation of cabin and bathhouse facilities and additional improvements to the camp experience that include a new pavilion, technology and creative arts centers, an updated ropes course, expansion of the dining hall, and an upgraded water system. This project also includes acquisition of 16 acres of National Forest Service land, doubling camper capacity so they can serve more than 3,000 children each year at Camp Sky-Y.

The $200,000 grant to Maricopa Health Foundation and Maricopa Integrated Health System (soon to be Valleywise Health) will help build a Family Learning Center in their new comprehensive health center in Peoria, scheduled to open next summer. Family Learning Centers are libraries for patients, their families and the community that provide health information, community referrals, classes, literacy activities and program enrollment assistance.

“We are incredibly grateful to Thunderbirds Charities for making the fifth MIHS Family Learning Center possible,” said Maricopa Health Foundation CEO Nate Lowrie. “Access to health education, children’s activities and parenting resources, all located in a community health clinic setting, is making a powerfully positive impact on the health and well-being of underserved families in the Valley.”

The $100,000 grant to Teen Lifeline supports the Teen Peer Counseling Hotline/Text Line, a free, confidential peer-supported hotline available to troubled teens 365 days a year to call or text in to receive support, counseling and resources. For every one in three teens that reach out, this call for help could be the difference between finding help and hope, or giving up.

“We have one goal at Teen Lifeline, to prevent teen suicide in Arizona,” said Nikki Kontz, Teen Lifeline Clinical Director. “We are incredibly grateful to Thunderbirds Charities for their incredible commitment to Arizona youth. It is only through working together we can reduce the rate of Teen Suicide in our state.”

The $100,000 donation towards the Homeless ID Project will help individuals and families to end their homelessness and rebuild their lives by providing the critical first step of identification replacement services. The need for replacement documents can result from loss, theft, eviction, or even fleeing a domestic violence situation.

“The Homeless ID Project is honored to receive this grant,” said Homeless ID Project Executive Director Rick Mitchell. “With this ongoing support from Thunderbirds Charities, we can help those seeking to end their homelessness to get a start on what can be a very difficult journey. A life rebuilt provides a real benefit to the person, to the family, and to our entire community as people reengage and become productive.”

Additional grants awarded from the Spring 2019 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 285 “life” members. For more information on Thunderbirds Charities, visit www.thunderbirdscharities.org.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/Foiph9JAGZ8″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]The Arizona Science Center‘s CREATE Program builds a science and engineering foundation where children of all ages can experience hands-on learning in an interactive space. It teaches collaboration and inspires creativity for the young people in our communities and introduces them to STEM careers and college and career pathways to build a better future.

“Our family has been a member of AZ science center for three or four years now,” said Ian Swiergol, The Thunderbirds. “So as a Thunderbird, it means so much to me that our group is giving back so much to the community, especially in the field of science and technology.”

Thunderbirds Charities recently donated funds to help bolster CREATE at the AZ Science center which will help them take their incredible learning space into schools where children can learn the importance of fun and interesting things like laser cutting and the accompanying computer programming.

“It’s all about inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers who are going to do amazing things,” said Sari Custer, chief curiosity officer & chief scientist, Arizona Science Center. “It’s advancements in medicine. Advancements in space science. It’s the kids that are learning today that are going to take us there again. And that wouldn’t be possible without donations from Thunderbirds Charities.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]