Peter Piper Pizza: Chicanos Por La Causa has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Peter Piper Pizza’s newly formed Slice of Knowledge Foundation. Peter Piper raised the funds in April in partnership with Icee, offering customers the opportunity to donate $2 to the Slice of Knowledge Foundation in return for five coupons, each one good for a free 12-ounce Icee.
CPLC plans to use $2,500 for the purchase of 250 science lab kits for Tucson-area high school students. The remaining $7,500 will go toward STEM/STEAM enrichment, tutoring books and computers in Phoenix.
The foundation will launch its second fundraising campaign in 2025.
Tucson Electric Power: TEP contributed more than $935,000 to 65 nonprofit organizations during the first half of the year.
Recipients of the largest donations included:
- Wildfire, a nonprofit community action group, which received $350,000 for low-income utility bill assistance and HVAC system upgrades
- Interfaith Community Services was awarded $40,000 for programs serving low-income residents
- Social Venture Partners Tucson received $30,000 for its Fast Pitch event, which benefits local nonprofit organization leaders
- The African American Museum of Southern Arizona got $25,000 to support programming at the museum, which opened in 2023 in the University of Arizona Student Union
- Cooper Center for Environmental Learning was awarded $15,000 for facility enhancements and programs
In the area of housing stability, TEP provided support to counseling services and rent and mortgage assistance. Volunteers helped with construction and renovations on homes for low-income residents through Habitat for Humanity, a news release said.
On the environmental front, TEP supported Sky Island Alliance, trail enhancements, educational programs for youth and improvements to Tohono Chul Park and other local venues.
The contributions came from corporate resources and were not recovered through customers’ rates, the company said.
In 2023, TEP provided financial donations, in-kind contributions and volunteer support to 216 local charities, the news release said. Nearly 300 employee volunteers donated nearly 8,500 hours of service.
Groups seeking financial support, in-kind assistance and volunteers can review details at tep.com/community. Most donations are made to groups invited by TEP to apply.
Arby’s: Arby’s is raising money for the Arizona Diaper Bank now through Sept. 15. As part of the Diaper Drive fundraiser, Arby’s customers can donate at the counter with or without purchase of a meal at a Southern Arizona restaurant.
Last year’s event raised more than $27,000, which was used to purchase and distribute 181,000 diapers, according to a news release.
Founded in 1994 in Tucson, the Diaper Bank has distributed millions of diapers, incontinence briefs and period products to 600,000 people, including infants, toddlers, teens, adults with disabilities and seniors.
“I didn’t understand the need until I visited the Diaper Bank,” said Jami Salyers, vice president of operations of Irish Beef, LLC, doing business as Arby’s. “Parents can’t put their children in day care without diapers, meaning folks aren’t able to work. There are needs in all parts of our community and Arby’s Cares is proud to help the Diaper Bank meet that need.”
To find an Arby’s near you, visit arbys.com/locations.
View maps and watch a flyover of the route Tucson Electric Power Co. prefers for its proposed 138-kilovolt transmission line, the Midtown Reliability Project. For the entire video, including non-preferred routes, go to tucne.ws/mrpfly.
tucne.ws/mrpfly
