UMOM is proud to announce and thank Thunderbirds Charities for their $60,000 donation to support renovations of UMOM’s Atkinson Family Resource Center. With this donation UMOM recently installed a new gym floor providing a wonderful space for family activities including movie nights, youth programs, after-school sports, and life skills worships. “We value our partnership with Thunderbirds Charities and the support they provide for those in need in our community”, said Darlene Newsom, UMOM CEO. “The recent Thunderbirds Charities donation will go a long way to improving the environment at UMOM for the families we serve.” UMOM plans to further renovate the activity center space that will include improvements like added storage, energy efficient doors, vinyl flooring, new furniture and installation of a ceiling projector for meetings & presentations. Thunderbirds Charities Mission: to assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in our communities. UMOM’s Mission: to prevent and end homelessness with innovative strategies and housing solutions that meet the unique needs of each family and individual. More

UPWARD for children and families recently received a $20,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities to support Project Care, Comfort and Education, which provides special education, therapy and nursing services for children who have severe disabilities and are medically fragile. The grant will specifically support registered nurse and licensed practical nurse care to ensure that the children’s medical needs are met so that they can attend school. “We are grateful for the ongoing support of Thunderbirds Charities and their commitment to children with special needs,” said UPWARD CEO Doug Carter. “UPWARD is a place where abilities thrive and every child is treated with dignity and respect.” UPWARD has been dedicated to a simple yet powerful purpose: To see past a child’s disability, recognize their unique abilities, and do everything in our power to ensure these children and their families thrive—through education, therapy and loving care. Due to a passionate commitment to this calling, Upward is many of the Valley school districts’ primary provider of special education, therapy and childcare for children with severe disabilities. For more information on UPWARD, visit www.upwardaz.org. Thunderbirds Charities is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to distribute monies raised through the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. […] More

Grant expands disabilities services for young children, opens new ADAPT Shop Family Resource Center Each year, more than 2,000 children in Arizona under the age of 1 are expected to be diagnosed with a developmentally-limiting condition like cerebral palsy or spinal muscular atrophy. Thanks to a $100,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities, more of Arizona’s young children with these types of severe disabilities will be able to receive the support they need at Southwest Human Development’s ADAPT Shop. The ADAPT Shop is a unique facility where parents can bring their young children with disabilities to receive customized products and support devices. A physical therapist works with each family in their home or at the ADAPT Shop to determine what equipment would be most helpful – such as custom foam seating and mobile scooters – and products are then designed and built based on the child’s individual needs. “We are so grateful for the generous support of Thunderbirds Charities,” said Ginger Ward, CEO of Southwest Human Development. “This commitment helps us continue providing this incredible and much-needed resource for Arizona’s young children and families, expand the ADAPT Shop’s work space and create an on-site family resource center.” Children who can benefit from […] More

Thunderbirds Charities, the charitable giving arm of the Thunderbirds – hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open – recently donated $82,000 to Maricopa Integrated Heath System (MIHS) to build a Family Learning Center at the Chandler Family Health Center. On January 10, 2014, more than 200 members of the local community attended the grand opening celebration of MIHS’ fourth Family Learning Center (FLC). Housed within MIHS’ Chandler Family Health Center, the FLC will provide culturally competent services to children and families seeking reliable health information, community referrals, education classes, literacy activities and insurance enrollment assistance. The FLC also features a children’s area with books and space for storytime activities, public computers available to view health education DVDs and on-line tutorials, a group area used for health education and parenting classes and private office space used to assist individuals applying for health programs. Thunderbirds Charities is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to distribute monies raised through the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. The Thunderbirds Charities Board consists of 15 board members from varying professional backgrounds. The mission of Thunderbirds Charities is to assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in our communities. […] More

Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development has received a $100,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities as a result of the 2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open, launching a collaboration to support homeless youth. Grant money will be used towards the Tumbleweed Youth Resource Centers located in Tempe and Phoenix. Youth Resource Centers (Phoenix/Tempe) is a program for homeless youth ages 12 – 25. Tumbleweed provides the most basic needs including meals, showers, clothing, access to medical care, counseling, case management, and educational and social groups in the Phoenix and East Valley area. Street-based outreach teams are another component of the Resource Centers. Vans hit the streets supplied with sack lunches, water, blankets and hygiene items to hand out to youth living on the streets. “The donation provided by Thunderbirds Charities will help insure young people living on the streets will get their most basic survival needs meet each day,” said Cynthia Schuler, Tumbleweed Chief Executive Officer. “Our Resource Centers help clients escape homelessness and work toward their individual goals of self-sufficiency.” “As Thunderbirds, we work hard all year planning and executing the Waste Management Phoenix Open,” said Thunderbirds Big Chief Tom Altieri. “The real satisfaction, though, comes from the ability to give back […] More

Thunderbird Charities gift of $150,000 to create the Thunderbirds Charities Family Resource Center has helped impact many lives including this client. The center consists of a supervised computer resource lab, a 50-seat conference room for educational, counseling and support groups; and a client advocate wing where residents have 24-hour access to staff and supportive services. Chrysalis’ Courage Campus has touched the lives of many through its comprehensive programs. One shelter resident had the following to say in regards to their time at Chrysalis. “Thank you so much for the wonderful gift you have given me. You knew me not when you took me in your good graces, with arms open wide you gave me a chance. You treated me with respect and care. You provided me with a safe home in which to live, and all the things I would need to begin again. I had no worries of food, hygiene, utilities and all the basics. It was up to me how and what I would do to reclaim my life. As I wondered and reached out, I discovered that the classes, therapy and case managers were there in place to support and encourage me through the trails. I am […] More

Waste Management Phoenix Open hosts, The Thunderbirds, will distribute $6,214,711 to local charities through proceeds raised from the 2013 tournament, Thunderbirds Big Chief Tom Altieri announced today. Since October 2003 when the tournament first brought on a title sponsor, The Thunderbirds and the Open have raised more than $60.3 million for charities ($60,376,103). In its history, dating back to 1932, the Phoenix Open has raised more than $86.1 million for charities in Arizona. “This is one of my favorite days each year; the day when a year’s worth of hard work truly pays off as the real winners of the Waste Management Phoenix Open are the local charities,” said Altieri. “The more than $6.2M we announced today will help thousands in need; we can’t thank the community and our sponsors enough for their outstanding support of this tournament.” “As North America’s environmental solutions leader, Waste Management is proud to be the title sponsor of the greenest show on grass, and we are extremely pleased that more than $6.2M of golf tournament proceeds are going to charities throughout Arizona,” said David Aardsma, Waste Management chief sales and marketing officer. The 2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open, known as “The Greatest Show on […] More

The Miracle League of Arizona and the Phoenix Thunderbirds teamed up to unveil the first-ever batting cages for special-needs athletes at Miracle League Stadium on Saturday, October 26 at 10 a.m. The cages include soft toss, slow-pitch and advanced machines, giving each athlete the chance to play at their own pace. The Miracle League is a charitable organization that grants over 200 children and young adults with special needs the opportunity to play a game of baseball as a team member in an organized league. “Every child deserves the chance to play baseball,” said Dan Haren, executive director of the Miracle League. “We want to thank the Thunderbirds for providing the funding for the special needs community and giving our athletes an experience that, prior to this, they could only dream about.” “We’ve had the pleasure of donating millions of dollars to a variety of organizations across Arizona; however this donation to the Miracle League is one of the most exciting and anticipated,” said Thunderbirds Big Chief Tom Altieri. “We are really proud of it and look forward to watching many Miracle League members use the new batting cages.” The Miracle League of Arizona stadium, located near Cholla Park, at […] More