Legacy Foundation Awards $2.6 Million During First Half of 2017

BHHS Legacy Foundation is pleased to announce grant awards for the first half of 2017. Between January and June, more than $2.6 million was awarded to organizations that improve the health and quality of life for those in our community who are most in need.

Nearly 45 organizations and programs received funding, in both the Phoenix and Tri-State regions of the Foundations’ geographic service area. For example, a grant for $32,000 was awarded to Soldier’s Best Friend to support its program which pairs U.S. military veterans living with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury with service or therapeutic companion dogs, most of which are rescued from local shelters.

Another grant for $25,000 was awarded to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Phoenix to lend support to Tri-State families who must travel to the the Valley for medical care for their children. In 2016, more than 40 families from the Tri-State area stayed at one of three Ronald McDonald houses in Arizona. Thanks to this grant, families who must travel for medical care for their kids will have one less thing to worry about.

Since 2001, BHHS Legacy Foundation has invested more than $85 million in projects, programs, and organizations in four key areas: increasing access to healthcare; improving community health; expanding Arizona’s healthcare workforce; and strengthening the community. To find out more about the Foundation’s grant making, click here.

Legacy Backpack Buddies Events Dress Kids for Success

In the last several weeks, organizations around the state helped to assure Arizona students’ success through their partnership with BHHS Legacy Connection’s Backpack Buddies program.

In Phoenix, Back-to-School Clothing Drive’s “New Clothes, New Beginnings” distribution event brought more than 3,200 Valley children in need to Grand Canyon University to receive new clothing, shoes, school supplies, hygiene items, books, food, and a backpack for the new school year. The program is on pace to serve a total of 5,000 Valley children this year.

In the Tri-State region, Mohave Valley Clothe-A-Child Foundation and more than 200 volunteers helped nearly 1,500 elementary students choose items they will need, such as clothing, undergarments, hygiene products, and school supplies—including a new backpack.

Having new materials for school has a positive impact on students’ self-esteem. Brenda Nelson, the founder of Academy of Excellence in Phoenix, says students who attend the Backpack Buddies events show increases in attendance and test scores.

Your generosity means more than just a pair of shoes or school supplies. Your donation gives children the chance to be their best by eliminating financial barriers and helping them focus on their education. Click here to make a donation today.

Backpack Buddies Featured in ‘Arizona Physician’ magazine

Just what is the Backpack Buddies program, and what role does BHHS Legacy Foundation play in the Backpack Buddies events happening around the state? Find out in this article in Arizona Physician magazine!

Created last year by the Arizona Medical Association, Maricopa County Medical Society, and Pima County Medical Society, Arizona Physician is the leading voice for the nearly 18,000 physicians of Arizona.

Click here to read the article.