MESA, Ariz. (Jan. 8, 2017): Thunderbirds Charities has awarded Save the Family $200,000 for its Homeless Families Intervention Project (HFIP) to provide homeless, veteran and working poor families with housing, case coordination services and access to an array of programs and classes to help address and overcome homelessness and poverty.
Funding will also support services Save the Family is providing at Valor on Eighth, a 50-unit first-of-its-kind affordable housing community targeting low income and formerly homeless female veterans with children. Now under construction, and in partnership with Gorman & Company, the City of Tempe and many others, Valor on Eighth is expected to open early in 2018. Several naming opportunities to support Valor on Eighth services and other Save the Family programs are available, and the Early Head Start program at Valor on Eighth will be named for Thunderbirds Charities.
“With the number of homeless veterans rising, there is no more critical time for the community to come together to support the men and women who have served our country,” said Save the Family CEO Jacki Taylor. “Thunderbirds Charities’ support for our focus on female veterans and their families will offer hope and guidance for a highly underserved population. On their behalf, I am deeply grateful to the Thunderbirds.”
Valor on Eighth, located in Tempe, will include 45 affordable units for formerly homeless and impoverished veteran families and five live-work units. Through HFIP, Save the Family will provide a full range of services from specialized case management support for veterans and career development to financial literacy and parenting classes.
The community also will include an on-site Head Start program for preschoolers, a teen room, computer lab, community rooms and meeting spaces, among other features. Valor on Eighth is a partnership among Save the Family, Gorman & Co. BMO Harris Bank, Arizona Department of Housing, Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Maricopa County Human Services Department, Enterprise, City of Tempe, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Sustainable Communities Collaborative.
“Save the Family is doing tremendous work in the community assisting formerly homeless families, including veterans, find a path to stability, jobs and permanent housing,” said Thunderbirds Charities President Andy Markham. “At Thunderbirds Charities, we know the deep and long-lasting impact of that work and we are very happy to assist Save the Family achieve their incredibly meaningful goals.”
Save the Family is expected to serve more than 700 homeless and impoverished families during Fiscal Year 2017-18, including at Valor on Eighth. Families in Save the Family programs continue to meet goals for establishing income and housing. Last year, nearly 80 percent of homeless families achieved permanent housing within 10 months.
For more information about Save the Family, visit www.savethefamily.org. -30-
CONTACTS:
- Tina Lopez, Chief Development Officer, Save the Family, (602) 402-1946
- Steve Carr, The Kur Carr Group, Inc., (602) 317-3040
About Save the Family
Save the Family Foundation of Arizona is a 501(c)(3) non-profit agency based in Mesa and has been serving the community since 1988. Last year, Save the Family and its partner agency, the Affordable Rental Movement of Save the Family, provided housing and supportive services for over 600 homeless and impoverished families. Their programs are provided throughout Maricopa County, and primarily in the East Valley. Homeless and working poor families are provided a place to live while gaining the necessary skills to become self-sufficient for a lifetime. For information, visit www.savethefamily.org.
ABOUT THE THUNDERBIRDS/THUNDERBIRDS CHARITIES
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. The organization’s giving is directed toward organizations based or with a significant presence in Arizona. The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 250 “life” members. For more information on the Thunderbirds or the 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com. For more information on Thunderbirds Charities, visit www.thunderbirdscharities.org.