In partnership with our generous donors and supporters, the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona is pleased to announce that an additional $60,000 was granted to six organizations in Week 26 of our COVID-19 Community Response Grants.
These funds will be used to provide essential services such as adaptive equipment and mental health support for families struggling with ALS, fresh food and basic needs for seniors and veterans, basic needs for low-income disabled clients, support for young immigrants, and basic needs for clients now out of work due to the pandemic.
COVID-19 Community Support Fund Grant Recipients:
- ALS Association – Arizona Chapter
- Arivaca Helping Hearts
- Lend a Hand Senior Assistance
- Scholarships A-Z
- Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports
- The Salvation Army
Here are a few grantee highlights:
Arivaca Helping Hearts works to help residents of the Arivaca area through challenging financial times, provide assistance in maintaining the health of Arivaca’s animals, helps with educational needs and provides emergency assistance with the basic needs of living. Since the onset of the pandemic, Arivaca Helping Hearts has seen an increase in demand from clients who are now out of work.
Frank G. Grieco, President of Arivaca Helping Hearts, shared, “Thank you to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. This generous donation will help us to continue serving our client’s needs, as well as the continued restoration and maintenance of our historic property which has been serving our clients and community since 1878.”
Lend a Hand Senior Assistance offers support to help keep seniors living independently in their homes by training and coordinating neighborhood volunteers who provide free services, including transportation, friendly visits, and access to other resources.
During the pandemic, instead of gathering clients together in person, volunteers now deliver fresh produce and lunches to seniors directly. Nancy Ruhl, President of Lend a Hand, shared, “Your contribution will allow us to add more fresh produce each month and permit us to continue with delivery of incontinence supplies as well.”
The ALS Association Arizona Chapter works to discover treatments and a cure for ALS, and to serve, advocate for, and empower people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest.
Taryn Norley, President & CEO of The ALS Association Arizona Chapter, noted, “Because COVID-19 has severely impacted the way that nonprofits like ours provide services and raise funds, we are grateful to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona for providing us with a grant to allow us to continue providing much needed services to people with ALS, and their families, throughout Southern Arizona.”
Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports, a volunteer-driven adaptive sports organization, works to transform lives through the power of adaptive sports. Since the pandemic began, SAAS faces new challenges in providing safe adaptive sports programs, equipment and resources.
To serve their community during COVID-19, Executive Director, Mia Hansen, shared, “Southern Arizona Adaptive Sports thanks the CFSA for this grant that will empower us to provide home delivery of medical equipment and supplies, mobile wheelchair and hand-cycle repair, and support for people with disabilities in Tucson and Southern Arizona.”