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.

Mission Possible: Reay's Ranch Stores raise more than $141,000 to Benefit AzCA

In January 2009 the employees of Reay’s Ranch Investors’ Super Stop and Minit Market convenience stores and Gordon’s IGA Markets in Southern Arizona challenged themselves to a Mission Impossible. Their goal, should they choose to accept, was to raise $100,000 to benefit vulnerable children and families served by Arizona's Children Association in Southern Arizona. The team went into action.

First, they sold $1.00 placards at their stores, which raised $53,217. Next was the first annual Reay's Ranch Golf Tournament at The Preserve Golf Club at SaddleBrooke, which raised $37,000.

With only $10,000 to go to their goal, the Reay's Ranch Investors team placed canisters in their Super Stop, Minit Market and Gordon’s IGA stores for three weekends, and asked customers to donate their change. The stores raised $33,742.

Amazingly, having topped their $100,000 goal by more than $23,000, the team took on a new mission. Employees made weekly donations through a new payroll deduction program. More than 72% of the employees signed up and raised $17,674.

At the completion of the mission, Reay's Ranch employees had raised more than $141,000 to benefit Arizona's Children Association.

"Reay's Ranch employees are very special people who work hard and achieve what they set out to do," said Rich Couch, COO and general manager of Reay's Ranch Investors. "We were blown away with the generosity of our customers, vendors and employees who took on a difficult mission and made it look easy. We never forget who these activities will benefit and how important Arizona's Children Association services are in the communities where we operate stores."

Reay's Ranch Investors owns and operates 46 stores including convenience stores, 2 IGA markets, A&W Restaurants and Subway stores in central and Southern Arizona. The company offers full management services to investor owned convenience stores including 24/7/365 responsibility and accounting services.

Six Million Pennies Means a Lot of Help for Families

From country concerts to bowl-a-thons, penny pitch donors were more creative than ever this year.

The results are impressive. The 14th annual KIIM-FM Tucson Penny Pitch benefiting Arizona’s Children Association amassed 2,879,605 pennies ($28,796.05), more than doubling its goal of one million pennies. KIIM-FM set up in the Foothills Mall Food Court December 16th -18th, broadcasting each day from 6AM to 7PM, and invited the public to stop by and donate spare pennies. Other coins and paper money were also accepted.

The goal of the 12th annual KTTI Penny Pitch in Yuma was to raise 3.5 million pennies. Jay Walker, KTTI personality and driving force for the Yuma Penny Pitch, summed up the results, “As we all know, you can't say the word "Money", or "Charity" these days without hearing the phrase ‘Well, in today's economy…..’ Well, in today's economy Yuma Arizona gave more than they have in the past 12 years. The grand total in the three day's was $35,675.00.”

The ‘pennies’ raised in these drives will help families in emergency situations. We are overwhelmed and grateful. Donations can still be made at www.arizonaschildren.org.

From the Grand Canyon to the White House

Grandparents in the Tucson KARE Family Center Arts group, "Las Fridas" and their grandchildren recently decorated ten Arizona themed ornaments that will hang on the White House Executive Residence Christmas tree. At the suggestion of Generations United in Washington DC, the White House sent the group 10" orbs to decorate with Arizona Points of Interest, and the group went to work, cutting out photos, painting and decoupaging. To see their work, and the decorated ornaments, visit www.arizonaschildren.org/XMasornaments.htm.

Las Fridas started as a grief and loss group for women burdened by their kinship care giving, and has evolved into a joyful art instruction activity for the women and their families. Las Fridas has exhibited at several Tucson area events. The group is provided with support of The Drawing Studio and volunteer instructor Pat Frederick, a retired veterinarian and metal sculptor.

Make sure to watch Oprah's Primetime Special this Sunday on ABC: The KARE ornaments in the White House are set to be a part of Oprah's special, "Christmas at the White House" airing Dec. 13.

Give the Gift of Hope

Give the gift of hope this holiday season to children and families who need your help. Our ‘needs’ list is long and includes the wishes of children from birth to 18 years, and requests from their parents for groceries and grocery gift certificates. The families we work with do not receive any other help during the holiday season.

There are three ways to give:
~ Support an entire family. Purchase groceries or grocery store gift certificates and grant the gift wishes of the children in the family.
~ Put up a giving tree in your office or organization. We’ll bring ornaments with the wishes of children on them and your employees/
members may choose an individual from the tree.
~ Conduct a toy drive. Collect toys and items for children and we’ll pick them up and distribute them to the children and families
we serve. Toys are needed for children of all ages.
To give a “Gift of Hope” this holiday season, check out this link to find more info for your area: www.arizonaschildren.org/giftsofhope.htm