The Carroll & Marguerite Wheeler Foundation recently awarded a grant for $100,000 to Delivering Dreams of Arizona to provide much needed support for low-income students in the Phoenix area, according to a news release.

The grant will support the flagship Delivering Dreams Bus Program, which works with partner schools to give students access to clothing, shoes, and other essential items.

“We are beyond grateful for the continued partnership and unwavering generosity of The Carroll & Marguerite Wheeler Foundation,” stated Delivering Dreams of Arizona CEO Aimee Runyon in a news release. “Their support means that together, we can help remove at least one worry from more than 15,000 low-income and underserved students and their families so they can focus more on their education.”

The Carroll & Marguerite Wheeler Foundation is a Texas-based organization supporting a broad spectrum of charitable organizations dedicated to ensuring access to education, empowering families and strengthening communities.

The Delivering Dreams Bus Program works with more than 155 K-8th grade schools in the area, with school staff identifying eligible students for the program. This year, the program will serve over 15,000 children.

Recognizing transportation challenges that face underserved and low-income families, Delivering Dreams of Arizona utilizes 40-foot retrofitted buses called Delivering Dreams Buses to bring the program directly to students at the schools they attend during the school day. The buses are filled with shelves of clothing and shoes, along with private dressing rooms.

Corporate/community groups provide volunteers to help each child select clothing and ensure that clothes and shoes fit properly. Each student receives a package of items that include clothing, shoes, and hygiene items valued at approximately $300.

Editor's note: The above was republished from a Delivering Dreams of Arizona news release.