Country Music Star Tim McGraw Supports Arizona's Children Association on 2010 Tour

Country music superstar Tim McGraw is supporting nonprofits across the United States during his 2010 Southern Voice tour.

Through a sponsorship with Frito-Lay, McGraw’s charitable fund, Neighbor’s Keeper, has identified worthy nonprofit organizations which serve children and their families in select tour cities. Grants from this sponsorship will be made to local charities in 34 cities via The Neighbor’s Keeper Fund.

On June 3rd, the Southern Voice Tour makes a stop at Cricket Pavilion in Phoenix, where McGraw, Frito-Lay's Fritos brand corn chips, and Neighbor’s Keeper are making a grant to Arizona’s Children Association, an organization addressing the needs of local children and families.

“Faith and I feel it’s incumbent upon us to step in where we see a need,” said McGraw. ”It’s the way we were raised. In our homes, money was tight – my mom was working two and three jobs when I was in junior high - but the supply of goodwill was endless.”

In addition, tour partner Outback Steakhouse will support the Neighbor’s Keeper Fund through in-restaurant promotions and other merchandise sales. Through these corporate partnerships, McGraw’s Southern Voice tour is helping create awareness about the important work of nonprofits within select tour cities.

“We, at Frito-Lay, really value our sponsorship over the years with Tim and Faith and we are proud to be able to help such worthy causes. We know that these days it is important for all of us to be “Givin’ Where We’re Livin’” and are excited to be a part of this effort,” said Ken Partyka, Vice President, Frito-Lay.

Letter to the KARE Center

Dear Mr. Chaffee:

I am writing you this letter to personally thank you and the K.A.R.E Family Center for making such a difference in my life and also my grandsons life.

There is no way I could have made it by myself, but your staff have been so supportive caring and helpful for the last four years.

When I took the responsibility of raising my grandson Emilio, I was completely overwhelmed with his special needs. I couldn't even participate in the first meetings I attended; I just cried. The KARE Family Center helped me to get the proper diagnoses and treatment for Emilio and taught me how to manage our lives with his ADHD.

Nicky Bird was immediately available and strong support for me when I was going through the roughest times. With her help I came to realize that if I was chosen to take on this responsibility it is because I'm the right person for my grandson's life.

Yolanda Sevillano spent so much of her own time helping me deal with courts, meetings with attorneys, arranging medical help and insuring that Emilio got the proper placement in school.

Joseph Aparicio helped me with my own health problems in dealing with stress. He kept me informed of diversionary activities for Emilio and holistic health classes for myself. Most of all, I just appreciate your caseworkers listening to me with compassion when I needed to vent. They had so much patience and time for me.

Time has gone by so quickly. My grandson turned five years old and our lives are organized and financially stable.

I thank God every day for providing me with your help. God knew what was best for both of us.

Sincerely,
Lupita G.

KARE Centers across Arizona provide help and support for families caring for children born to others. If you are a family member raising grandchildren, nieces or nephews, cousins or other relatives; an adoptive family or about to become one; raising children of a family member in jail or raising a child under 18 not born to you, the KARE Center can help. Services are provided in both English and Spanish. Visit www.arizonaschildren.org and click on "permanency."

Brain Box in a Bag Now Available

Many of the unique items and activities that are included in a Brain Box are available individually in a "Brain Box in a Bag."

Brain Boxes were designed and patented by Dr. Jill Stamm, director of the New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development to improve a child's ability to learn and succeed in school and in life.

Now, many of the unique items and activities that are included in a Brain Box are available individually.

Called "Brain Box in a Bag," each item has been specially selected from the more than 150 toys, books and activities in the patented 12-box set of Brain Boxes designed for children from birth to age 5 ½. Each item comes with easy to understand instructions that will guide you through its use with a child.

Brain Box in a Bag items are currently available at the Phoenix Children's Museum.

For more information on the work of the New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development or the complete, patented 12-box set of brain boxes, contact 602.371.1366 or visit www.newdirectionsinstitute.org.

Stop Shooting, Start Living

Lance Taylor was just 23 years old when he was shot to death in February while confronting a man who was trying to steal beer from a Circle K store in west Phoenix. Earlier this month a peace march and candlelight vigil were held in his memory. At least 100 people gathered outside Golden Gate Community Center where the peace march began.

Members of the Mitchell Golden Gate Neighborhood Association were out in force. Phyllis Habib, director of Golden Gate Community Center calls GGCC a "safe haven.'" "This young man's murder highlights the importance of change in the neighborhood," Phyllis added. "Our community is poised to change in so many ways. We are working to stop the shooting and start living."

Fry's Food Stores Grants $35,000 to Promote Breast Health at Golden Gate Community Center

Fry's Food Stores recently granted $35,000 through their “Giving Hope a Hand” campaign to fund breast-health classes and follow-up mammography appointments for the residents of the west Phoenix Golden Gate community. "The Mobile Onsite Mammography (MOM) van visits Golden Gate up to six times a year," said Phyllis Habib, director of Golden Gate Community Center. "This grant will allow under-served women who have an abnormal mammogram to get a follow up diagnosis and treatment."

The Giving Hope a Hand campaign allows Fry’s to give back to the communities it serves. With the help of vendors who share in Fry’s Food Stores commitment to eradicating breast cancer – and providing hope to those who fear it. Fry's has been a long time and generous supporter of breast health initiatives in Arizona – supporting research projects and educational outreach.

“What makes this campaign so special is that all of the funds raised are spent in the communities where our customers and associates live, work and raise their families,” says Pam Giannonatti, Fry’s Consumer/Community Relations Manager, whose mother and mother-in-law are both breast cancer survivors. “Fry’s is proud to continue its partnership with the Golden Gate Community Center, which is located just down the street from our Fry’s Mercado Store located on the northeast corner of 43rd Ave. and McDowell in Phoenix.”

Balancing the Budget on the Backs of Crime Victims

The following guest opinion piece was submitted by the Directors of Las Familias and The Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault on behalf of Casa de los Niños, Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse, Homicide Survivors, Las Familias, MADD Arizona, Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center, and Wingspan in response to the Arizona State Legislators who may raid funds earmarked for victim’s of crime.

Balancing the state budget on the back of crime victims may not be criminal, but it should be. Unfortunately, that is exactly what our current legislators are doing. In an effort to balance the broken state budget, our elected officials are taking pots of money that don’t rightfully belong to them. Most recently, they have taken the funds that support crime victims. These funds are set up to assist victims of crime recover from the physical, emotional, financial and psychological injuries that they endure, due to no fault of their own, when they are victimized by criminals.

The revenues in the fund come from fines and fees collected from convicted criminals. Thus, they are not taxpayer monies and the legislators have no business raiding these funds. While we understand the need to balance the budget, it shouldn’t come on the backs of crime victims. Re-victimizing people who have already been significantly traumatized is simply wrong.

The legislature has already swept a significant part of these funds to help offset this year’s deficit and they are planning to take even more for next fiscal year. If we don’t make them stop, then thousands of crime victims will go without support and services they need to help them through one of the most traumatic events anyone can face.

Supporting crime victims is neither a liberal nor a conservative agenda. It is simply the fair and just thing to do. For those who claim the government should have no role, we remind them that the Crime Victims Fund was established under President Reagan’s Task Force on Victims of Crime, which led to the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). President Reagan understood that when innocent people are victimized, society has an obligation to help them on their road to recovery.

The organizations in jeopardy of losing funding, if the legislature has its way; include Casa de los Niños, Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse, Homicide Survivors, Las Familias, MADD Arizona, Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center, and Wingspan. The leaders of these organizations and programs that provide critical services to crime victims urge you to call and write your state legislators. The legislature must hear that what they are doing to crime victims is morally and ethically wrong and borders on criminal. If we don’t speak up now for those who have been victimized through no fault of their own, we will have no right to complain when there is no one to help us if, God forbid, this injustice befalls us.

Dr. Elizabeth Wong, Division Director, Las Familias
Michele Roland-Schwartz, Division Director, Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault

An evening with Grammy® nominated artist R. Carlos Nakai

Save the Date. On March 27, 2010, the Tucson KARE (Kinship Adoption Resource and Education) Family Center Ambassadors are hosting an evening with world renowned Grammy® nominated flutist R. Carlos Nakai at the Desert Diamond Hotel and Casino in Tucson. This is one of Mr. Nakai’s very rare concert appearances in Tucson and proceeds will benefit the KARE program!

Also performing will be KARE’s own “La Familia KARE” Mexican Folklore Troupe (children aged 6-12) and Tucson-based youth mariachi group, Los Changuitos Feos. Special guests include Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup and Congressman Raul Grijalva. Miguel Ortega emcees the evening.

Since 2002, KARE has served thousands of grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings raising their relatives' children in Pima County. KARE’s goal is to keep children safe and stable with members of their own family, and keep them out of the foster care system. And they’ve been successful, keeping close to 8000 children out of foster care since 2002. Recent research has shown that the KARE Center’s services keep 1,400 children out of foster care each year at a potential savings to Arizona taxpayers of $4.2 million a year. The KARE Ambassadors are a group of Center grandparents who represent the needs of kinship caregivers in Pima County.

For ticket purchases or sponsorship information, visit www.arizonaschildren.org/events.