A local nonprofit is offering a divine opportunity for retail therapy, courtesy of 150 local angels.
Angel Charity for Children will stage a pop-up shopping extravaganza featuring almost 30 local boutiques and vendors from 4 to 7 p.m. during Drop In at the Dropout on Sunday, March 22, at Culinary Dropout, 2543 E. Grant Road.
“This is our second annual pop-up event and we are bringing it back by popular demand,” said Kellie Terhune Neely, communications chair for the all-volunteer organization, which has about 150 volunteers. “It showcases new and established artists, decor, jewelry, men’s and women’s apparel and accessories, and beauty products — along with wine and food.
“All of the vendors donate a percentage of sales to Angel Charity for Children, which is the single largest nonprofit in Tucson dedicated specifically to raising funds to benefit children in Pima County,”
Since 1983, Angel Charity has provided nearly $28 million to 87 local agencies and nonprofits. The charity is thrilled to pledge a record $1.1 million to seven local charities in 2020, according to Terhune Neely.
Primary beneficiaries this year include the Intermountain Foundation, which will receive $700,000 to fund the Angel Charity Center for Children and Youth; and the Reid Park Zoological Society, which will receive $265,000 toward construction of the “World of Play Adventure Zone,” designed for different ages and abilities.
An additional $195,020 will benefit Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels; Boys to Men; Jewish Family & Children’s Services; Literacy Connects; and Make Way for Books.
“This is the highest amount of funding we have pledged in one year during our 38-year history and we are really excited,” Terhune Neely said. “The need in the community is great and Angel Charity membership voted to meet the challenge. ”
The nonprofits that serve children are equally grateful to the volunteer organization, according to Paul O’Rourke, vice president for development and communications for the Intermountain Foundation.
O’Rourke said the $700,000 investment from Angel Charity will be funneled into debt reduction on a building purchased last year by the Intermountain Foundation to support the nonprofit Intermountain Centers.
The Intermountain Centers offer home-based and out-of-home support for emotionally and behaviorally challenged children; adults diagnosed with serious mental illness; individuals with developmental disabilities; children and youth with specialized educational needs; and children involved in the foster care system.
The new facility — which is nearly 70,000 square feet — will include the Intermountain Academy tailored to youths in kindergarten through Grade 12 who are on the autism spectrum. It will also feature an integrated care clinic; “The Little Cubs Clinic,” which provides intensive therapy services for children ages 18 months to 12 years; and a Transition to Work program for young adults with autism and those aging out of foster care.
Additionally, the campus will feature a park developed in partnership with the city of Tucson to serve children on the autism spectrum.
“There are approximately 5,000 kids in Pima County on the autism spectrum and we are building a hub for these children and their families where patients can receive integrated care — both primary and behavioral health services, treatment for behavioral issues and education services through the academy,” O’Rourke said. “It will also provide early evaluation and diagnosis for children with behavioral and health issues. ”
O’Rourke said the Integrated Care Center will allow children with challenging behaviors and diagnoses to receive therapies and treatment from a very young age, which can significantly change the course of their lives.
“Many of these children are nonverbal, and by working with them on an intensive basis up to 20 hours a week, we can help them to become verbal and they can be mainstreamed into regular schools,” he said.
“Our goal is to give these kids the skills and education they need to become productive members of society.”
Intermountain Centers also provide group homes and apartments with support for adults with behavioral issues, serious mental illness and other disabilities.
Additionally, it is the largest foster care provider in the state, operating almost a dozen residential facilities serving 500 children and assisting an additional 1,500-plus kids through regular and therapeutic foster care programs.
“There are 19,000 kids in foster care in Arizona alone; 50% of those who age out of the system at 18 will be incarcerated or in the legal system within two years, and 75% of the girls will be become pregnant. If this partnership with Angel Charity can help to can give them the skills to become contributing members of society and not be a draw on the system, that is a great gift,” O’Rourke said.
Ultimately, O’Rourke said the partnership between Intermountain and Angel Charity is both an acknowledgement of Intermountain’s impact on the community and an attestation to Angel Charity’s commitment to Pima County youth.
“ What this grant means to us is that we will be able to serve more kids in our community. It frees up money we won’t have to spend on mortgage interest payments so that we can serve an additional 500 kids each year,” O’Rourke said.
