PHOENIX

Thank You Thursday: Season for Sharing raised $2.73M for local nonprofits

Melissa Farley
The Republic | azcentral.com
Rodnae Collins (left), 11, and Hannah Crowther, 10, work on math during tutoring in the library at Homeward Bound in Phoenix Dec. 1, 2015. The shelter is a grant recipient for Season for Sharing.

Each year in our Season for Sharing campaign, we ask Arizona to give back to our great community, and each year, you don’t disappoint.

Your contributions — in addition to funds from matching partners the Gannett Foundation, BillingTree, the Nina Mason Pulliam Trust, 12News and The Arizona Republic — totaled $2,730,000 to be awarded to 144 community organizations, and, for that, we want to say thank you.

Scroll down to see 2015's recipients.

Contributions are matched 50 cents on the dollar until donations reach $1 million, and The Republic covers all administrative costs, so 100 percent of all donations go directly to local nonprofits.

To celebrate this year’s Season for Sharing success, we are officially designating Thursday, March 17, 2016, as the third annual Thank You Thursday.

On this day, we at The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, in partnership with 12News, offer sincere thanks and gratitude to each and every person who made a difference through our Season for Sharing campaign by donating.

We are also excited to announce our grant recipients and show the impact these funds will have for deserving agencies such as Expect More Arizona, The Salvation Army – Senior Center, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix, Fresh Start Women’s Resource Center and more.

It is truly one of our favorite days at The Republic, when we get to see the faces of those personally touched and affected by the generosity of the community, and we want to share those moments with you.

Follow the updates and action on social media with #TYTHURS so you can see how you are making a difference with your gift.

We talked to some of the grant recipients after they found out their awarded amount to see how they plan to put it into action.

Building an education-first culture 

Expect More Arizona has worked closely with statewide partners since 2009 to provide opportunities for parents, voters, community members and leaders in business to support superior education for every child, from early development to career professional.

This is their first time to receive a grant from Season for Sharing.

"The grant will enable Expect More Arizona to help parents across the state support their child’s education," said President and CEO Pearl Chang Esau. "With your support, Expect More Arizona will be able to create tools for parents to understand what their children are learning in the classroom, educate parents on key education issues and give parents opportunities to get involved."

The organization is  grateful for the ability to provide more parents with information and tools to  support their child's education.

"We believe that Arizona has tremendous potential to become a state known for high-quality education," Esau said. "However, there is still a lot of work to be done. Every dollar we receive helps us to serve additional parents, support students and teachers across the state, and to move us closer to the world-class education that all of our children deserve."

A Thank You from Expect More Arizona for #TYTHURS 

"Thank you! Your support is vital to our efforts to ensure every child in Arizona receives a world-class education, from the early years through career."

Want to get involved in the cause?: ExpectMoreArizona.org

RELATED:Season for Sharing: Helping kids learn, one day at a time

Serving vulnerable children 

Chicanos Por La Causa has been a part of the Arizona community since 1967.

The organization is dedicated to providing a program for children who have witnessed or experienced domestic violence that ensures children leave the shelter with the knowledge, skills and abilities to live a productive life free from violence.

"This year, Season for Sharing funds will support services for approximately 300 children at the De Colores Domestic Violence Shelter," said Veronica Carillo, the group's resource development administrator. "Each year, about two-thirds of De Colores residents are children. With these funds, children receive age-appropriate education and mentoring to help them recover from trauma and end the generational cycle of violence."

As you can imagine, providing a program like this requires abundant resources, and the De Colores Domestic Violence Shelter's children's program depends on financial support from the community as well as donated goods and services such as school supplies, clothes, toiletries and opportunities to participate in activities and field trips.

Want to get involved in the cause? Donations can be made at www.cplc.org/donate. To volunteer, email Maricela.Flores@cplc.org.

A Thank You from the Chicanos Por La Causa - De Colores Domestic Violence Shelter for #TYTHURS 

"CPLC would like to express a heartfelt THANK YOU to all who contribute to the Season for Sharing program. Because of you, we can work together to serve vulnerable children and end the generational cycle of violence."

Researching, cultivating and protecting our Arizona desert 

The Desert Botanical Garden is nestled amid the buttes of Phoenix's Papago Park and is home and refuge to some of the most rare and admired succulent plants. Arizonans have watched the garden bloom and develop since 1939.

"Your grant will support our Sonoran Desert Adventure guided field trip program for schoolchildren and teachers in grades pre-K-8," said Tina Wilson, the garden's education director. "This program provides standards-based, interactive experiences at our garden and complimentary curriculum that engage students in environmental science while fostering respect for our Sonoran Desert."

Through donations and programs like Season for Sharing, Desert Botanical Garden has been able to provide field trips for 21,000 children, with the goal of inspiring future generations of environmentally aware stewards, activists and lovers of nature.

Want to get involved in the cause? Contributions can be made at dbg.org/donate and 480-941-3517, and information on volunteer opportunities is available at dbg.org/volunteer.

A Thank You from the Desert Botanical Garden for #TYTHURS 

"On behalf of all of the students and educators we serve, we wish to thank Season for Sharing donors for ensuring that the garden can continue to offer immersive, nature-based experiences that help children become excited about learning science."

To inspire, educate and engage curious minds through science 

Before it became the Arizona Science Center in 1997, it was known as the Arizona Museum of Science & Technology.

"Arizona Science Center believes that every young person, regardless of socioeconomic barriers, should have an opportunity to explore hands-on science learning," said Kristin Priscella, the center's chief operating officer of external affairs. "The invaluable support provided by Season for Sharing means that Arizona Science Center can continue to achieve our mission and inspire the next generation of critical thinkers. Through this grant, we will be able to impact 5,000 students from economically disadvantaged schools and their teachers this year."

The center is no stranger to Season for Sharing. When asked about her previous experience with the fundraiser, Priscilla said, "Yes, Season for Sharing has been a key supporter of Arizona Science Center’s science education programs for at-risk youth. We have been a proud recipient of a Season for Sharing grant for a number of years, and as a result, tens of thousands of students and teachers have received free programs.

"Arizona Science Center will use the grant money to help support our signature Focused Field Trips program, which provides free field trip experiences, teacher workshops and classroom materials for Title I, K-8 schools throughout Arizona."

The organization would like to invite the community to learn about its  Fund-A-Bus initiative to provide free bus transportation to and from the Science Center in downtown Phoenix for Arizona public school students in grades K-8. Transportation to and from the school can often be too expensive for a school district, so the Science Center is  trying to eliminate that hurdle altogether.

Want to get involved in the cause? Visit www.azscience.org.

A Thank You from  Arizona Science Center for #TYTHURS

"Arizona Science Center extends a heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every person that supported the campaign. Thank you for entrusting us with your precious resources to make a positive impact to the future generations of scientist and engineers in Arizona."

Empowering and uplifting women 

Fresh Start Women's Foundation has served the women of Arizona for 24 years. It  provides a  variety of programs and services for women in three core areas: economic self-sufficiency, education and personal development.

It also provides workshops and classes, family law support, social work services, Child Watch, an E-learning Center, mentoring and additional services.

"This year’s Season for Sharing funds will support Fresh Start's domestic violence programs, including support groups and social work services, the Estrella Jail program that assists women with re-entry into the community, and support group services with UMOM clients," said Jennifer Wagner, marketing and public relations  manager for Fresh Start.

"Support from Season for Sharing means so much to Fresh Start. Women who are seeking to better their life, some of them a safer life, are able to receive the much needed programs and services that empowers them to succeed. And this support means so much to our whole community, because Fresh Start knows that when a woman achieves her best, her children, family, neighbors and greater community also benefit."

Want to get involved in the cause? To give or to view volunteer opportunities go to freshstartwomen.org

A Thank You from Fresh Start Women's Foundation for #TYTHURS 

"Fresh Start cannot carry out its mission of empowering women to transform their lives without the support of the community. Thank you to each of those who gave to Season for Sharing to ensure women have access to programs and services that help them reach their dreams."

Giving kids a place to go 

Since 1946, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix have offered affordable after-school and summer programs for more than 30,000 young people in grades K-12.

"By being a recipient of Season for Sharing, we can continue to operate our clubs and provide a safe, positive place for at-risk youth to go after school so they can grow up safe and healthy, graduate high school and attend college, build strong families and make positive contributions to their communities," said Amy Gibbons, CEO  of the Boys & Girls Clubs.

"The grant we received from Season for Sharing this year will be used to fund critical components of our Academic Success Program,  including Power Hour, Money Matters and STEM classes.

"Power Hour is offered at all 13 BGCMP Clubs throughout the year, providing members with homework help and educational enrichment. Money Matters is a financial literacy program that teaches budgeting, saving and planning for college. It gives our teens the knowhow to make great financial decisions throughout their lives.

"Our most popular STEM class is Robotics, which teaches 21st-century skills, including programming, problem-solving and working as a team.

"The Season for Sharing grant helps cover staff time to implement the Academic Success Program as well as books and educational materials used in the program."

Want to join in the cause? Visit bgcmp.org to donate, view fundraising events and see volunteer information.

A Thank You from Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix for #TYTHURS 

"From all of us at Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix, thank you to everyone who donated to the Season for Sharing campaign this year! Your generosity makes it possible for more than 10,000 youth and teens to keep on learning after the schoolday ends. We deeply appreciate your faith in our work, and we are honored to be a grant recipient."

Season for Sharing receives 20 percent more applicants

About Season for Sharing

Season for Sharing is an annual fundraising campaign. The money is awarded through a competitive annual application and vetting process to charities that help at-risk children and families, improve academic performance, assist victims of domestic violence and serve vulnerable elderly Arizonans.

With the help of donors and matching gift partners, The Republic has had the honor and privilege of generating nearly $60 million in grants since 1993. We thank you for your continued support.

To donate today, visit sharing.azcentral.com