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Valley organizations react to surprise grants given by Virginia G. Piper Trust

Posted 9/23/21

After Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust donated a record-amount of funds to 71 Arizona organization on September, many local leaders are voicing shock and appreciation.

Catholic Charities …

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Community

Valley organizations react to surprise grants given by Virginia G. Piper Trust

Posted

After Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust donated a record-amount of funds to 71 Arizona organization on September, many local leaders are voicing shock and appreciation.

Among those who received funds is the Arizona Opera, the Foundation for Senior Living, Catholic Charities Community Services and the local Girl Scouts. 

Catholic Charities Community Services, who received $4 million from the Trust, says they will now be able to assist significantly more individuals and families.

“We are, in a word, overwhelmed,” said Catholic Charities President and CEO Paul Mulligan. “Of course, the biggest beneficiaries of this incredibly generous gift will be those vulnerable people we serve, and for that we are deeply grateful.”

During 2020, Catholic Charities helped more than 17,000 individuals and families.

Arizona Opera was gifted $2.5 million from the Trust, which officials say will enable the organization to continue creating memorable experiences and expand the impact of opera to others.

As Arizona Opera celebrates its 50th anniversary during the 2021-22 season and reimagines performing arts during a global pandemic, the support from Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust empowers Arizona Opera to take steps to further ensure a stronger future of service to communities across the state, a press release stated.

“On behalf of the entire Arizona Opera organization, I want to express our most profound gratitude to Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust for their unprecedented, overwhelming, and visionary generosity through the ‘Now is the Moment’ grant commemoration. As we look at a multi-year recovery process for our organization and our sector more broadly, the timeliness and enormity of this grant will allow us to move forward with a level of confidence that was unimaginable prior to Monday’s announcement. We thank Piper Trust for making this moment possible for Arizona Opera, and for so many worthy organizations,” stated Joseph Specter, president and general director of Arizona Opera.

Arizona Opera’s Board Chair, Dr. Stephen Munk commented, “I am truly stunned — I have been involved through difficult times with other opera boards and surviving those situations was often painful. Having a visionary benefactor contact the organization unexpectedly with such generous support was a first. That was the most remarkable five minutes of my life.”

The Foundation for Senior Living was awarded a $1.6 million grant to support programs and services that benefit seniors, adults with disabilities, caregivers, and low-income families in the community.

“We are so moved by the generosity of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust,” said FSL CEO Tom Egan. “The past year has been uncertain for some of our most vulnerable populations here in the Valley. The funding from this grant will help us ensure they are getting the support they need from FSL programs.”

Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) was also the recipient of a $2 million grant, which will be used to support GSACPC’s programs and volunteer training and increase access to Girl Scouting for more girls in Arizona, a press release stated.

“We are deeply grateful to the Trustees of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and their ongoing support of and belief in our efforts to introduce more girls to Girl Scouting,” said Tamara Woodbury, CEO of GSACPC. “Every girl deserves the opportunity to be a Girl Scout, which we know is proven to have a positive impact in girls’ lives and their surrounding communities.”

GSACPC is actively recruiting new troop leaders and forming new troops to allow more girls to participate throughout the region. Joining the movement today is easier than ever, according to a press release. Girls can join a troop this new school year — right now! — and entire families can be part of the Girl Scout experience.

GSACPC is hosting fun, free events and programs for families new to Girl Scouts or who have not yet joined but want to learn more through the end of the year.