Pre-registration is required.  To register, please call 520-325-1400 or email lschellie@diaperbank.org.

This is a program of Leave of Legacy, Planned Giving Roundtable, and the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona.

If you have questions about this workshop or would like more information about the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona and planned giving, please contact Leslie A. Schellie, J.D., executive director at 520-325-1400 x 3.

Nov. 28, 2012

TEP TO PRESENT MORE THAN $100,000 IN GRANTS TO GROUPS AIDING YOUTH AND FAMILIES including the DIAPER BANK OF SOUTHERN ARIZONA

 Members of the News Media invited to interview recipient agencies,

which still continue to need community support during the holiday season.

Tucson, Ariz. – Tucson Electric Power (TEP) will present $101,548 in grants to 17 nonprofit organizations that improve the health and well-being of at-risk children, teens and families.

TEP’s Grants That Make a Difference will be presented during an awards ceremony on Friday, Nov. 30 2012 (see details below). The grants offer financial leverage to nonprofit programs that are expanding services for our community.

“We’re committed to strengthening the communities where we live and work. Our Grants That Make a Difference program is designed to make a positive difference in the lives of others by supporting nonprofit groups that demonstrate best practices in their program areas and deliver effective services in southern Arizona,” said Paul J. Bonavia, Chairman, President and CEO of TEP and its parent company, UNS Energy Corporation (NYSE: UNS). “The recipients also use the grants as much-needed matching funds to leverage other funds from regional sources. This strengthens local nonprofit groups as they position themselves to seek resources on a national scale.”

Employee volunteers evaluated nearly 125 applications with requests totaling approximately $600,000 before selecting grant recipients. Committee members looked for programs with measurable and reasonable expectations offered by nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated financial and organizational stability. The ability to collaborate with other agencies to make the most of limited resources is an important characteristic of all grant winners. Grants, awarded to organizations with programs that address a wide variety of social problems, include:

Help for at-risk children

• $5,000 to Gabriel’s Angels, to add teams of handler/dog for the pet therapy program that provides therapeutic visits to abused and at-risk children.
• $4,048 to the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona, to purchase warehouse carts to assist volunteers in the safe and efficient delivery of diapers to a wide range of nonprofit organizations.

• $5,000 to the El Rio Health Center Foundation for its TeenAge Parent Program, which provides education, healthcare and advocacy for teen parents.
• $6,500 to the Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center to expand the supervised infant visitation program for parents referred by CPS.
• $5,000 to Our Family Services Inc. for its Teens in Transition program, providing holistic services to homeless teens.

Education and enrichment activities

• $10,000 to the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona for science, technology, engineering and mathematics enrichment programs.
• $5,000 to the Ballet Arts Foundation for “Put Your Best Foot Forward,” a ballet arts and physical fitness program offered in schools with large populations of children from low-income families.
• $3,000 to SCIENTEK-12 Inc. to expand the number of schools participating in the regional Science and Technology Fair.

Help for seniors

• $10,000 to Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona, which coordinates skilled volunteers to do emergency home repairs for low income seniors and disabled persons.
• $10,000 to Interfaith Community Services to enable recruitment and insurance of skilled volunteer drivers providing transportation services to disabled and at-risk seniors.

Job training and pathway out of poverty

• $7,500 to American Red Cross Southern Arizona Chapter as matching funds for their AmeriCorp program of veterans providing case management to veterans and their families.
• $5,000 to Old Pueblo Community Services to provide case management and other outreach services to homeless veterans.

• $5,000 to the Primavera Foundation, Inc. to provide emergency shelter and case management for homeless families.

• $10,000 to the Young Women’s Christian Association of Tucson for its employment, education and training program.

Improving healthcare and quality of life

• $5,000 to Emerge! Center Against Domestic Abuse to help fund its domestic abuse volunteer program.

• $3,000 to TOP DOG, Inc., which teaches people with disabilities to train their own pets to become certified service dogs.
• $2,500 to the Tucson Alliance for Autism Inc. for its Autism Resource Library, which makes books about autism available for checkout.

Grants That Make a Difference is part of TEP’s award-winning community service program, which provides philanthropic gifts, in-kind services and volunteers to nonprofit organizations. Last year, employees of TEP joined their friends and family members to contribute more than 35,000 volunteer hours to worthy causes across Arizona.

Tucson Electric Power provides safe, reliable electric service to more than 400,000 customers in southern Arizona. To learn more, visit tep.com. For more information about UNS Energy, visit uns.com.

Tucson, AZ – April 23 – The Board of Directors of the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona has announced the appointment of Leslie A. Schellie as Executive Director.

She has held positions as Director of Development for the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block and the Arizona Historical Society.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northern Arizona University and a Juris Doctorate degree from University of Denver College of Law. She has practiced law in Denver, Chicago and Seattle.

“Leslie brings passion for our cause, commitment to the community, and fundraising experience. She will lead the organization in its vision of a community where every diaper need is met,” said Board Chair Rachele Peterson.

The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona, the nation’s first diaper bank and a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, works with more than 50 community organizations distributing nearly 600,000 free diapers and incontinence supplies each year to low-income people of all ages, from babies and toddlers to disabled persons and seniors. It receives requests for more than 1.5 million diapers annually.

Children’s Book Partners with Diaper Banks of America to Promote Donations

PHOENIX – Nov. 12, 2009 – *Potty training a toddler can ignite the best and worst emotions in both parents and toddlers. So after trying
all the traditional approaches to potty train her own three year old son, a frustrated Melissa L. Hart decided to try something completely
different. Hart dressed up as the “diaper fairy” and visited her son, telling him it was time to give up his diapers and move to big boy
underwear because there were less fortunate children around the world who needed his unused diapers – and it worked!

Hart, a human resources consultant, captured the experience in her first children’s book, Max and the Diaper Fairy, the story of young Max and his visit by the magical diaper fairy.

“Max and the Diaper Fairy is a delightful and empowering story to help transition your child from diapers to the potty in the most uplifting and creative way,” said Hart. “Your child will embrace the gift of imagination, and in turn learn how to help others in our community.”

More than just a delightful story, the book encourages toddlers to not only move out of diapers, but it also teaches children about the power of giving. A healthy change of diapers costs $100 per month or more, and most government programs like Food Stamps, WIC and Medicare do not cover
diapers.

There are only 15 diaper banks in the entire United States. To promote diaper donation, Hart has partnered with the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona and Diaper Banks of America.

“The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona is known as the nation’s first diaper bank,” said Hart. “It’s my hope that by reading Max and the Diaper Fairy parents and children will become inspired to actively show their support and donate diapers to such a worthwhile cause.”

Max and the Diaper Fairy was published by Hartfelt Designs, a division of The Hart Solution, LLC. For information about the book, or to learn more about how to establish a diaper bank in your community, visit www.maxandthediaperfairy.com <http://www.maxandthediaperfairy.com> or
call (480) 782-1822.

Kirsten Grabo
520-325-1400
520-481-6188

Tucson, AZ (June 14, 2010) – As part of “Every Little Bottom,” a national campaign  that kicks off today (June 14), Huggies® is donating 201,500 diapers to the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona. The shipment of diapers is expected to arrive at the Tucson office, 4500 E. Speedway, Suite 75, on Thurday, June 24 at 8:00 am.

“Every Little Bottom” was created by Huggies® and its parent company, Kimberly-Clark, in response to a national study that showed that one in three American mothers struggle to provide diapers for their babies.  The program’s goal is to raise awareness of the critical need for diapers in the United States and Canada. Organizers hope that communities and organizations will get more involved in providing diapers for babies.

“The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona, the nation’s first diaper bank, is one of several diaper banks in the United States to receive this large donation,” said Kirsten Grabo, executive director of the Tucson-based Diaper Bank.

“The donation includes toddler size diapers, which are always in very high demand,” she said.

The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona receives requests for 1.5 million diapers and incontinence supplies each year. In 2009, the Diaper Bank distributed 600,000 diapers through 58 local partner agencies.

The “Every Little Bottom” study revealed that mothers must cut back on food, utilities and child care in order to provide diapers for their babies. The study documented that babies who do not have clean, dry diapers show more signs of irritation and discomfort, cry more and suffer from diaper rash.

“This is the issue that led to the creation of the Diaper Bank in 1994.  In addition, daycare centers require disposable diapers, but programs like federal food stamps or WIC do not provide diapers,” Grabo  said.

The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona has assisted 15 other communities across the United States in creating organizations that provide diapers to babies, handicapped and elderly.

Grabo, representing the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona, participated in the development of the “Every Little Bottom” program.

# # #

Tucson’s version of Dancing With the Stars turned out to be a boon for bare bottoms.

The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona’s third annual “Dancing With Our Stars” fundraiser was held at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa Friday night.

Local celebrities danced the tango, rumba, foxtrot and swing with professional dance partners from Tucson dance schools.

The 10 “stars” were provided 10 lessons and were judged by a panel of three and the audience, said the show’s creator and one of the judges, Artie Stone.

“We’re very pleased with ticket sales,” executive director Kirsten Grabo said before the show. “Our request for diapers is up, and our donations are down — as with every nonprofit in town.

“I think the community really came through, though,” she added.
The fundraising goal of $20,000 to $25,000 will buy many a diaper, Grabo said.

“We’re just like the food bank — we can make the dollars go farther.”

After 2008′s event, she said, the diaper bank was able to buy approximately 70,000 diapers for adults and children.

Contact photographer Jeffry Scott at 573-4155 or jscott@azstarnet.com.