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West Valley Mavericks award $375,000 in grants to 82 area nonprofits

Posted 5/20/20

The West Valley Mavericks Foundation awarded more than $375,000 in grants to 82 local non-profit organizations, the organization announced in a May 21 news release.

The foundation is a 501(c)(3) …

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West Valley Mavericks award $375,000 in grants to 82 area nonprofits

Posted

The West Valley Mavericks Foundation awarded more than $375,000 in grants to 82 local non-profit organizations, the organization announced in a May 21 news release.

The foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that assists children and families, helps people in need and improves the quality of life in West Valley communities.

“We are especially happy to grant these funds this year, with all of the uncertainty non-profit organizations are facing,” stated Erik Hernandez, chairman of the grant selection committee, and partner at H&B Builders of Goodyear. The funds are part of the annual program of work for the West Valley Mavericks, which holds four signature fundraising events.

“Any business or individual who supported one or more of our events in 2019, own part of this. They helped us raise these funds and we sincerely appreciate it,” Mr. Hernandez stated. “We could not do this without our annual sponsors.”

Mavericks fundraising events include the Shindig Fly Away Party at Goodyear Airport, Roundup Food Truck and Music Festival at Goodyear Ballpark, and the Maverick Golf Tournament and Patriot All-America, both held at the Wigwam in Litchfield Park.

The organizations was founded in late 2012 and awarded its first $5,000 grant to the Honey Foundation in 2013. Its second grant, $10,000, was awarded to Phoenix Children’s Hospital in 2014.

Since those early years, the giving has increased prolifically, stated President Jason Khan, a partner in Meese Khan, LLP accounting and consulting of Goodyear.

“We are pleased to announce that we have reached $1 million in giving in 2020,” Mr. Khan stated. “This is a very special year as we reached a milestone after having a strong year of fundraising in 2019 along with record-setting events.” More than 12,000 people attended the Roundup Food Truck and Music Festival last September, he stated. The foundation also held a record golf tournament in 2019, filling all three courses at the Wigwam with a day of golf followed by a dinner on the greens and live auction.

Mr. Khan stated 2020 is a banner year for the foundation in terms of giving.

“We were able to fund 22 additional organizations this year over last year, and given the significant needs in our community in this moment, I am extremely proud to be a Maverick,” he stated.

The beneficiaries of the funds welcome the support.

“I am thrilled. We are working so hard right now to try and step to meet the increased demand for services in the West Valley right now,” stated Sophie Etchart, founder and CEO of Read Better Be Better. “Kids being out of school further exacerbates the problem that Read Better Be Better exists to address, so I can assure you this grant will be put to work.”

Several organizations receiving grants for the first time include Packages from Home, United Buckeye Firefighters, Cancer Support Community Arizona, Leadership West, The Harvest Compassion Center Maryvale and Central Arizona Shelter Services, the release stated. Grant amounts averaged $3,000 and were delivered the week of May 18-22.

These recipients included A New Leaf, Advocacy 31nine, All Faith Community Services, Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels, American Heart Association, Angels on Patrol Inc., APECA/Natalie’s House, Arizona Agricultural Education/FFA Foundation, Arizona Assistance In Healthcare, Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, Arizona Humane Society, Arizona Service Project, Assistance League of Phoenix, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, Billy’s Place Inc., Borderlands Food Bank, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Phoenix, Boys Hope Girls Hope of Arizona, Buckeye Lions Foundation Inc., Cancer Support Community Arizona, Central Arizona Shelter Services, Child Crisis Arizona, Down Syndrome Network Inc., Dress for Success Phoenix, Elevate Phoenix, Esperanca, Family Promise – Greater Phoenix, Fighter Country Foundation, Foundation for Seniors Living, Friends of Avondale Libraries and Recreation, Gabriel’s Angels, Girl Scouts Cactus-Pine Council, Hart Pantry, Harvest Compassion Center – Maryvale, Heart for the City, Homeless Youth Connection, Hope Community Services Inc., HopeKids Arizona, Junior Achievement of Arizona, Junior Golf Association of Arizona, Leadership West, Make-A-Wish Arizona, Maricopa County Community College District Foundation, Meals of Joy, Miracle League of Arizona, Mission of Mercy, New Pathways for Youth, One Step Beyond Inc., Operation Enduring Gratitude Foundation, Packages from Home, Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation, Phoenix Girls Chorus, Playworks Education Energized, POP – Prostate On Site Project, Raising Special Kids, Read Better Be Better, Rebuilding Together Valley of the Sun, Ryan House, Ryan’s Case for Smiles-Phoenix Chapter, Sleep in Heavenly Peace Inc., Smart Schools, SOUNDS Academy, Sounds of Autism Inc., Southwest Ballet Theatre, Southwest Lending Closet, Support Education and Employment for Vets/SEE4Vets, The Mercy House, TeamSmile Inc., The Reveille Foundation, Teen Lifeline, Terros Health, The First Tee of Phoenix, The Salvation Army, TheaterWorks, Treasure House, Treasures 4 Teachers, United Buckeye Firefighter Charities, United Cerebral Palsy of Central Arizona, Veterans Heritage Project, Wellspring Park Conservancy, West Valley Arts Council and Will2Walk Foundation.

The grant application process will open Dec. 15. Information on the organization and grant information is available at westvalleymavericksfoundation.org.