History of Giving

Youth On Their Own “YOTO” received $750,000 to fund the renovation of its recently purchased headquarters facility in midtown Tucson near the intersection of Country Club and Grant Roads.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Southern Arizona “NAMI” received $388,000 to fund programming to offer mental health presentations to middle and high school students in Pima County.

Boys to Men Tucson was awarded $77,900 to support a Healthy Intergenerational Masculinity initiative to provide weekly group mentorship circles, led by adult male mentors, to allow atrisk boys to genuinely express themselves and share their hopes and struggles. It will serve 700 boys at 25 middle and high schools and community centers, improving their chances to succeed, and making our community safer.

El Rio Health Center Foundation was awarded $50,000 to help launch a new Youth Mental Health Pilot Program at El Rio Health, Tucson’s largest provider of health services. The pandemic has escalated the need for behavioral – mental health services for youth suffering from anxiety, depression, and behavior problems. The program will serve 200 – 300 youth ages 12 – 18 who lack resources to obtain treatment elsewhere.

Junior Achievement of Arizona was awarded $50,000 to expand the JA Anywhere program to reach 1,400 low income, diverse students in kindergarten – 12th grade, and prepare them to succeed in work and life. The program will equip them with the knowledge and skills they need to manage their money, plan for their future, and make smart academic, career and economic choices.

Nourish was awarded $25,000 to provide therapy and dietician services to young children with feeding challenges caused by medical problems such as prematurity, heart issues, autism, gastrointestinal difficulties, or cleft lip or palate. Seventy-five families that cannot afford the needed services or specialized therapy equipment will be helped.

TMC Foundation was awarded $50,300 to purchase a state-of-the-art incubator and radiant warmer bed for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Tucson Medical Center. The Giraffe Omnibed Care station has advanced technology to provide care and mimic the mother’s womb while premature newborn babies grow and develop. The existing incubator bed has been used for years and needs to be replaced.

Tucson Girls Chorus was awarded $10,000 to provide scholarships to allow low-income girls in kindergarten – 12th grade to participate in choral education that fosters leadership, personal growth, and a sense of belonging regardless of abilities or socio-economic background. Through music participation in one of eleven choirs and many performances, singers boost confidence, cultivate compassion, and gain a sense of belonging that affirms their voice matters.

YWCA Southern Arizona was awarded $25,000 to support the Teen Court Program by modernizing technology and supporting programming. Teen Court is a peer-led juvenile court diversion program where teen volunteers are trained to conduct hearings and sentence youth ages 12 – 17 that were arrested for minor crimes to restorative justice. The arrested youth avoid incarceration, and the youth volunteers receive education on the legal process.

$92,000 to support a “Healthy Minds, Healthy Kids” initiative with an Academic Support Specialist to work with mental health professionals and families to conduct academic and mental health assessments for 150 at-risk youth. Once assessed, an individualized profile and targeted plan of support will be developed for each child.

$71,000 to provide 200 children of very low-income families with access to academic support and extra-curricular activities. The funds will be used for academic tutoring, technology, school supplies, uniforms, after-school and summer enrichment programs, sports fees and music lessons that are cost prohibitive for families.

$48,983 to redesign the playroom at the Ronald McDonald House, a home-away-from-home for families from out-of-town with a critically ill baby or child. The funds will transform the existing playroom from a disparate collection of worn-out toys into a Center for Adventure to allow sick children and their siblings to forget about illness for a while.

$20,000 to help expand Children to Children virtual bereavement support groups into rural areas of Pima County. The pandemic has increased the need for services to children grieving the diagnosis of a serious medical condition or the death of a loved one.

$22,400 to support refugee children who often don’t get adequate schooling before coming to the United States, and therefore struggle with the new culture. Funding will help the International Kids Camp to bridge cultural gaps and the Youth Outreach program to keep kids out of gangs.

Total Small Grants = $254,383

Intermountain provides vital programs and services for more than 5,000 Pima County’s most vulnerable children and families every year. Over the years, Intermountain has become the “go to” organization for difficult to serve youth, thus developing a reputation as a specialty provider and for successes in serving challenging populations. Intermountain creates the outcomes that matter most to children and families and to the community.

Intermountain has a 47-year legacy in Pima County demonstrating program innovation and dedication to the population it serves. Intermountain individualizes programs to meet the unique needs of each person it serves in order to promote self-sufficiency and maximize positive outcomes. Intermountain serves children and adolescents who are emotionally and/or behaviorally challenged, who are transitioning from one form of care to another, diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and children with specialized educational needs, as well as a variety of other diagnoses.

Intermountain was selected by Angel Charity to receive $700,000 to help fund a 60,000 sq. ft. building at 401 N. Bonita that will become the Angel Charity Center for Children and Youth, an integrated service campus that provides these early intervention therapies. Children with complex needs will have access to primary care physicians, psychiatric services, occupational therapy, crisis intervention and more in this facility in an unprecedented timely manner.

The Reid Park Zoo was selected by Angel Charity to receive $265,000 towards construction of the “World of Play Adventure Zone” which will be modeled after regions of the world, taking themes from animals and natural features of the regions, appealing to different age groups and abilities.

Activities to encourage learning and play include a cooled “ice cave” in the Antarctic Zone – the first of its kind in the playground. As children leave the ice and travel 12-feet up along the accessible ramp, they will find a treetop hut in the South America zone, leading to a corkscrew slide, at the bottom of which they will go through misters among representational lily pads of Victoria. Or they may enter the North American redwood forest and follow the ramp down to the climbing net. Along with striking natural forms, the architecture integrates a variety of materials and textures that mimic those found in nature and sparks curiosity. Younger tots will enjoy the age appropriate play equipment in view of their parents/caregivers watching them in the shade under the cooling misting systems. This area will teach basic science concepts about geographic regions and animals of the world while encouraging nature play, physical activity – and fun!

Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels was awarded $65,000 to support one new Play Therapist in the Amanda Dream Center at Diamond Children’s Medical Center in Tucson. The Center will be a place for counseling, play therapy and other therapeutic services for at least 100 children each year battling cancer and their families.

Boys to Men was awarded $10,000 to support a campaign to recruit and train men to help 200 at-risk middle and high school aged boys at weekly group mentorship meetings. The program will expand outside Tucson Unified School District into Sunnyside and Flowing Wells school districts and the Pima County Juvenile Detention Center.

Jewish Family & Children’s Services was awarded $20,020 to renovate and refurnish a play therapy room which is used to provide play therapy services to over 150 children per year who have experienced psychological trauma. The room in the Jewish Family & Children’s Services Tucson facility will be designed with equipment and toys to help the children heal and develop in healthy ways.

Literacy Connects was awarded $50,000 to provide free, educational opportunities to 50 middle school youth after school and in the summer at the Literacy Connects’ Youth Center in the Amphi school district. The digital arts programming is designed to transition young people from passive consumers of technology and entertainment into empowered creatives.

Make Way for Books was awarded $50,000 to support the Family Education and Literacy strategy; an innovative, two-generation approach where children and parents learn together, and both gain skills. Proven programming, books, and resources will be delivered throughout the community to ensure that 700 young children start school ready to read and succeed.

Children’s Clinics will renovate their existing building and create a one-of-a-kind treatment space uniquely designed to meet the needs of children with complex medical conditions as well as serve as a center of excellence for children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The renovation will incorporate state-of-the-art technology and modifiable, sensory-friendly features including indirect lighting, texturized walls, sound buffering and other cutting edge adaptations.

TRAK will expand programming to meet the large community demand for its Animal-Assisted Life Skills program (AALS). Funds will be used to hire and completely train two full-time staff in the EAGALA equine-assisted learning and growth model to maximize TRAK’s impact in the lives of at-risk and/or disabled children.

$25,300 to support autistic students at the school by funding a new “Gifts to Work” program to introduce them to new experiences, highlight special interests and abilities, provide mentors and place them in internships. A portion of the funding will be used to purchase of a van to transport the students.

$20,000 to support low income students in the school district by funding the Clothing Bank, the Shoes to Smiles program, classroom grants and new teacher “Start Up” grants.

$15,000 to support children with bleeding disorders by transporting them to and from Camp HONOR, expanding the post-secondary school scholarship program, continuing the tutoring program and funding for research and treatment related to mental health issues among youths living with chronic health issues.

$10,000 to provide low-income students with a once-in-a-lifetime experience, immersing them in the Sonoran Desert to learn key ecological concepts and build emotional connections to nature, by covering the admission for students to participate in an overnight experience at Camp Cooper.

$20,000 to provide newly diagnosed and relapsed pediatric cancer patients with personalized backpacks filled with patient specific items to help them get through the treatments and long hours at hospitals and other medical facilities.

$10,000 to provide equipment upgrades to ensure the safe delivery of diapers for the 500,000-diaper drive campaign supporting low income families. Funding will provide a new forklift battery, installation of the battery, and purchase of a dock plate to allow the forklift to be driven into semi-truck trailers.

$39,748 to improve the equipment in the GAP Kitchen which provides warm meals to food insecure children through the Feed Our Schools after-school program, in their SPLASH group homes and to others in the foster care system. A new, quicker packaging system will allow them to increase the number of sites that they serve.

$18,973 to increase access to quality in-school classical guitar education for students in low income schools. Funding includes translating the Method Books into Spanish and developing an adaptive curriculum for special needs students.  Chord Buddy guitar learning systems will be purchased for students with special needs.

Tucson Village Farm is an education-based urban farm that reconnects children to a healthy food system, teaches them how to grow and prepare fresh food, and empowers them to make healthy life choices.

The Farm offers year-round, hands-on agriculture and nutrition-based programs for youth of all ages, as well as programs for the community and families. We serve urban youth from all socio-economic backgrounds; however, we focus on those who are low-income and at-risk. We teach children about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and help them develop leadership skills that empower them to create change within their own lives, families, and communities. In 2017, we delivered 44,851 hours of direct programming to 12,913 Pima County children.

The Angel Charity Culinary Education Center for Children will enable us to safely teach 13,000 + kids/year how to prepare healthy meals from fresh food and provide the education and scaffolding they need to create brighter, healthier futures for themselves, their families, and the community. Having a teaching kitchen on site is the last slice of the Farm programming “pie” keeping us from truly carrying out our seed-to-table mission; in addition to providing a tremendous resource for children and families across Tucson, the kitchen will bring in revenue through the sale of value-added goods and rental of the space, ensuring that Tucson Village Farm remains a sustainable resource for the children of Pima County for many years to come.

Purchase beds, dressers and underwear for foster, kinship and adoptive families that host children in their home.

Purchase beds, dressers and underwear for foster, kinship and adoptive families that host children in their home.

Purchase mobile canopy shade structures for an educational program that uses golf as a platform for skill building for youth.

Provide year-round critical thinking and problem-solving based educational programs to low income youth vulnerable to science and math learning loss.

Fund Saturday and after-school programming for blind children to learn academic and life skills, and to purchase 10 Braille displays.

Fund a scholarship program to reduce registration fees for low income youth soccer players who learn valuable moral and life lessons through competitive soccer.

The Diaper Bank provides an emergency supply of diapers to children and families living at or below the poverty line through 53 partner agencies in Southern Arizona. With only three full-time staff members equivalents and more than 2,000 volunteer hours, the Diaper Bank distributes 9 million diapers per year to infants and children in Pima County.

The Diaper Bank is the nation’s first diaper bank, and for 23 years, has served as the model for more than 220 diaper banks across the country. Diapers are the single largest expense outside of food, clothing and shelter in a family’s budget, costing up to $100 a month. One in three American mothers struggle to provide an essential change of diapers to their children. Diapers are not covered by WIC, food stamps, or any other safety net program. In order to hold down a job or get an education, parents need access to child care, which requires a full day’s supply of diapers before a child can be dropped of.

The Diaper Bank was selected by Angel Charity to receive a gift of $600,000 to eliminate it’s mortgage. By eliminating the mortgage, the Diaper Bank will allocate those funds to buy more than 8.5 million diapers for the babies and children in our community who need them.

Since 2003, Beads of Courage, Inc. has provided innovative Arts-In-Medicine programs for children coping with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

A gift of $100,000 was awarded to Beads of Courage to establish the Angel Charity Arts-In-Medicine Program to strengthen resilience and improve the quality of life for children coping with cancer and other serious illness in Pima County. Through the use of visual arts, literary arts, and performing arts, Beads of Courage seeks to honor the courage of children, alleviate the experience of suffering, strengthen resilience, and affirm the experience of human caring.

To date, Beads of Courage has partnered with more than 260 children’s hospitals to provide arts-in-medicine programs to 60,000 children globally. More than 8,000 children in Pima County will directly benefit from support provided by the Angel Charity Arts-In-Medicine Program during the challenging time of receiving treatment for a life-threatening illness. Programs will be provided during hospitalization, in the clinic setting, and in the community through workshops hosted at our headquarters.

Ben’s Bells is a community-building organization that provides educational programming throughout the community to support the development of kindness skills (regulating emotions, self-control, responsible decision-making, showing empathy for others, etc.) Learning kindness skills is vital for a child’s individual achievement and for community health.

Ben’s Bells was awarded $27,010 to purchase a new, safe, and economical van and to wrap it with colorful and inspiring graphics so that they may continue to serve children of Pima County for many years to come.

Erik Hite Foundation provided first-responder families affordable, high-quality, center-based early childhood education with extended hours in a secure setting, with supportive services (individual and bereavement counseling, child screenings, family workshops) to accommodate first responders’ irregular schedules and unique needs. (The center is the first of its kind in the US.)

Erik Hite Foundation was awarded $10,000 to provide scholarships for summer camps and supervised care for Pima County’s financially-needy first responder families. The scholarship is available to first responder families with two or more children ages 5-18, who would like to send them to a locally-operated Pima County summer camp.

Imago Dei Middle School has been breaking the cycle of poverty for ten years in Tucson by providing a tuition-free, private school education to children in grades 5 – 8 from low-income Tucson families. Only one of their alumni has dropped out of school in ten years and 85% of their alumni are pursuing higher education.

The mission of Make Way for Books is to give all children the chance to read and succeed. Since 1998, MWFB has provided a comprehensive continuum of early literacy resources, services, and evidenced-based programs to young children, families, and educators in underserved areas of Tucson.

The mission of Aviva is to enhance services that improve the quality of life for children who are in the care of Child Protective Services and who are victims of abuse, neglect and poverty. Funding from Angel Charity will help build an 11,000 sq. ft. Outdoor Visit Center to provide these children and their parents with the opportunity to play and visit in a safe, supervised park setting. The new Outdoor Visit Center is designed to maximize opportunities for positive family interaction through therapeutic play visits.

El Grupo empowers youth through bicycles, so they can acquire the self-confidence, discipline and leadership skills to be active and healthy members of the community. Angel Charity funding will provide El Grupo Youth Cycling with funds for two years of additional staffing support. The additional staffing will enable El Grupo to extend their quality programming to more youths who are underserved or uninspired.

The Steele Children’s Research Center will receive funding to increase clinical trials available through Children’s Oncology Group so that our children will have access to all the protocols available nationally; and to expand the basic cancer research to increase the development of new future treatments.

The Children’s Achievement Center will receive funding to provide two years of support for their tuition program, which provides sliding fee scale childcare tuition assistance for children of low-income, working families. The center provides full-day, full-year childcare for at-risk children ages eight weeks to five years. The majority of these children live below the poverty level and one-third have a significant disability or development delay.

Our Family Services will receive funds to build a 20-bed emergency shelter for Tucson’s homeless children ages 12-17 years. The Reunion House that Angel Built will provide a safe welcoming home until permanent placement is arranged. It is the only agency in Tucson contracted by the State that provides crisis shelter for this age group.

The Roy Drachman Clubhouse will receive funding to support a full renovation of the clubhouse, including plumbing, heating/cooling and electrical repair. The renovations will positively impact up to 15,000 kids per year.

The Children’s Museum Tucson will receive $236,500 to create Investigation Station – a new hands-on, interactive exhibit focused on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This exhibit will be a natural extension of what the children will experience in school, and will serve as a positive reinforcement of STEM learning in a fun environment.

TROT, as it is known, will receive funds to expand its TROT Tots Therapy Clinic to provide early intervention therapies for special needs 2-6 year olds with physical and cognitive impairments.

San Miguel High School prepares students from underserved families for college and career by integrating a rigorous academic schedule with practical work experience. San Miguel recognizes that education is a key element in breaking the cycle of poverty and ending economic disparities that exist, particularly for minority populations. The $575,000 funding reuest will reduce the debt incurred from the building the Student Center which houses the Corportate Internship Program.

The Angel Youth Center is a 5,300 square foot extension to the Northwest Y. This space is dedicated for youth ages 9-17 to allow for particpation in supervised social, recreational, educational, and character building activities after school, on weekends, and throughout the summer. The $400,544 will provide the money necessary to complete the new construction.

The Pima Library Foundation offers free tutoring and homework help to students after school. Homework Help targets children with the highest dropout rates but, is open to all students. Access to the program is easy. The $34,000 will allow for additional tutors and program expansion.

To expand and renovate current pediatric dental care unit, build four new operatories, purchase digital x-ray equipment and create electronic dental records.

To construct a new Angel Wing. The additional space doubles the number of children in the early intervention programs
and also offers other much needed services.

To furnish and equip the medical services suite in the new center.

To demolish existing unsafe facilities and replace with four new group homes, as well as renovate and furnish an existing building to create a Receiving, Assessment and Visitation Center.

To grant approximately 45 wishes for Pima County children.

To build “Un Nidito De Angeles” and expand the current building.

To build 12 isolation rooms in the new 28 room, 30,000 sq. ft. Ronald McDonald House on UMC property.

To construct and equip a Community Computer Technology & Recreation Center. The Center will serve the South Park neighborhood children of Tucson as well as children in its surrounding areas.

For the expansion and renovation of facilities, retirement of the mortgage and purchase of much needed equipment. Arts for All uses visual and performing arts to teach children a variety of lessons, a few of which include confidence, an eagerness to learn and grow and self-awareness.

To retire the debt for the Blacklidge residential group home for adolescents and babies. This will allow for more resources for education, aftercare assistance with rent and living expenses and follow-up care.

To renovate an existing building to provide a kindergarten classroom, a testing and conference room, a children’s playground with a play structure, fencing and lighting and program support rooms.

To fund renovation of a 3,300 sq. ft. laboratory space that will house a Comprehensive Program for Children with Diabetes, including a patient care area, basic science research and training for associated health care professionals.

To hire and certify a full-time riding instructor for a period of two years which will enable TROT to serve an additional 25-30 riders per week. Riders experience fun-filled therapeutic exercise and empowering freedom of movement in a rich sensory environment using horses.

For the expansion and renovation of a 152 year old school which serves primarily Native American children. Each grade is to have its own classroom, thus improving the learning experience and academics for the children.

To build five cabins and a community bathroom shower. This provided 4,000 more children a camping experience.

Construction of an 1,800 sq. ft. debriefing and experimental area where families and visiting classrooms can gather, review and discuss their museum aviation and space experience. A simulator for the space gallery was also purchased.

Funding for the purchase, renovation and furnishing of a six-bedroom group home “Angel House” on 5.6 acres of land. The new facility will provide therapeutic residential service to seriouslyemotionally disturbed children through its Intermountain Youth Center program.

Funding one full year of Tu Nidito’s bereavement program, “Angels By Your Side Bereavement Program”. The bereavement program helps children and their families living with life threatening illnesses.

For site acquisition and development of a 4,700 sq. ft. building and equipment. The “St. Elizabeth’s Angel Urgent Care Center provides urgent care in a family-friendly atmosphere with specialized pediatric equipment.

For the purchase of three used aircrafts. Wright Flight is a mentoring program that rewards a student’s efforts with a “hands-on” flight experience.

For acquisition and renovation of building at 1901 North Stone Avenue to provide quality education, training and employment services to youth of this community.

*Board Restricted Fund Income Gift.

For site acquisition, development and a 6,050 sq. ft. building and recreation area. This provides comprehensive therapeutic services to children.

For renovation of existing outdoor environment.

Provided funding for site acquisition and development of a 6,200 sq. ft. building with a recreation area to offer enrichment and support services to youth and families through positive opportunities for educational, social and cultural development.

Purchased and renovated a three-story, 15,000 sq. ft. building, named the “Angel Charity Youth Center, serving additional 200 children to be served monthly.

Provided stipends for ten months to 100 students. YOTO provides desperately needed assistance to youngsters who seek permanent shelter outside their parents’ home while staying in school and maintaining good grades.

Retired the mortgage and remodeled four existing Open-Inn homes and implemented an Independent Living Program. Open-Inn serves the needs of adolescents who are unable to live at home.

Formally known as Gump School Parent Teacher Committee. Provided a sensory course and three buses to transport severely mentally handicapped children for Gump School.

Purchased a facility for this agency which serves the needs of sexually abused children.

Remodeled and renovated two condemned buildings on the campus of this institution, which provides a wide spectrum of service to families and abused and neglected children, including a residential program.

Retired the mortgage and expanded and enhanced the facility. This is a home for critically ill children and their families who are undergoing treatment at local hospitals.

*Board Restricted Fund Income Gift – Established as a vehicle to accumulate excess funds. The income earned from this fund provides a source of funding to children’s agencies in desperate need and are determined by the Angel Charity Board of Directors.