Major Arizona Funders Join Forces to Offer Multi-Million Dollar Community Relief Fund

Arizonans invited to make donations for a dollar-for-dollar match

PHOENIX (March 18, 2009) - Ten Arizona foundations and funding organizations have pooled their resources to match donations to meet emergency needs in Arizona. The funds will be awarded as grants to nonprofit agencies providing critical human services to a growing population of Arizonans in distress due to the economic crisis.

The partners have combined their dollars to offer a $1.3 million community relief matching fund via a statewide marketing campaign. Donations will be matched dollar for dollar, creating a multi-million dollar pool to be granted to qualifying nonprofits throughout Arizona.

Specific nonprofits will be invited to apply for grants to fund the following basic needs services:

• Food Services: food banks, congregate meals for homeless and domestic violence victims, food for youth programs, home meal delivery for senior citizens.

• Shelter Services: emergency shelter, domestic violence shelters, transitional housing.

• Health Services: medical assistance for the uninsured and underinsured..

• Emergency Assistance: assistance for payment of rent/mortgage and utilities, resource centers for the homeless.

A collaboration of the Arizona Grantmakers Forum, the contributing partners include Arizona Community Foundation, Arizona Republic Charities, BHHS Legacy Foundation, The Bidstrup Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, Lodestar Foundation, Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, Valley of the Sun United Way and Wells Fargo.

The Lodestar Foundation will cover overhead costs, allowing 100 percent of donor gifts to be distributed.

This joint effort is the first phase of an overall statewide campaign carrying the theme, The Changing Face of Poverty, which aims to bring awareness to the need for not only financial donations, but contributions of time and food. While the community relief matching fund program ends on April 19, the ad campaign will continue on under the leadership of the Arizona Community Action Association (ACAA), a statewide nonprofit.

"Current economic conditions have put more individuals and families into distress than at any other time in recent history, requiring Arizona to serve a growing number of citizens with ever-dwindling resources," said Ed Portnoy, campaign spokesperson and director of grant programs for Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. "People who have never before needed food boxes, shelter or help paying their rent are now in need, dramatically changing the profile of what most people consider impoverished."

Donors may give online at www.choosetohelp.org beginning March 18, with gifts matched through April 19. Links will direct those who need assistance for themselves or their families to other sites for help. Local gifts will be matched and awarded to local programs based on regional boundaries.