“By merging Homeward Bound within A New Leaf, everyone wins. Homeward Bound continues to provide exceptional housing and social services at its extraordinary facility in central Phoenix. A New Leaf gets to bring another high-impact, high-visibility program within its umbrella, and one that is perfectly matched for what we do,” said Tyler Abrahams, A New Leaf board chair. “And most of all, the community wins by reaping the benefits of these housing and social services in a moment when they are sorely needed in Phoenix.”

This merger comes at a time when homelessness is on the rise in Arizona and more people than ever are experiencing housing insecurity. After careful consideration by the Homeward Bound board of directors and its interim CEO Heather Josowitz Allen and executive committee, the organization decided to join forces with A New Leaf.

Homeward Bound has been serving the Valley for the last 33 years by providing shelter and resources to families experiencing homelessness. Due to recent funding challenges, the organization sought out a partnership — and A New Leaf and its operational strength made for a great match. “This merger is not just about combining resources; it’s about leveraging our strengths to make a more significant impact on the families we serve,” said Michael Hughes, CEO of A New Leaf.

In the meantime, Homeward Bound will focus on maintaining its program delivery to the families currently residing at its Thunderbirds Village Family Campus, ensuring a seamless transition.

“We are grateful for the community’s support over the years and during this transition,” said Heather Josowitz Allen. “The merger with A New Leaf is a testament to our commitment to do the right thing for our families, ensuring the legacy and mission of Homeward Bound continue in the most sustainable and impactful way.”

The merger is expected to be completed within the next few months, with both organizations working closely to ensure a smooth integration of their respective services and programs. More details about the merger and its impact on the services provided will be shared as they become available.

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit turnanewleaf.org and homewardboundaz.org.

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“We are pleased to announce Mary Mitchell as our 2024 Woman of the Year Awardee,” said Onjalai Brown, senior partnership development & event programmer for the Arizona Diversity Council. “She embodies the values of service, advocacy for women’s equity and leadership. Mary’s expertise in community building, collaborative practices and team-oriented design showcases how women can lead with heart, empathy and excellence.”

Over her 25-plus years at GSACPC, Mitchell has held various roles in fund development, finance, volunteer services, membership and community engagement. Mitchell is the senior advisor and co-lead for the organization’s work on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Racial Justice and holds expertise in community-building, engagement, collaborative practices and team-oriented design.

“She values the power of honest and authentic conversation,” said Christina Spicer, co-CEO of GSACPC. “You will often find her sitting with leaders from a wide spectrum of disciplines, engaging in conversations centered around deep questions that matter and that create action and systemic change.”

For more behind this Frontdoor, go to arizonadiversitycouncil.org.

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Thanks to the generosity of the Literary Society of the Southwest’s 650 members and sponsors, the original $30,000 fundraising goal was more than doubled as $73,406 was raised, allowing the Society to donate a total of $103,500 to local nonprofit literacy programs.

The 2023-24 grantees are:

• A Stepping Stone Foundation
• Central AZ Regional Economic Development Foundation
• Chilne Planting Hope
• Gabriel’s Angels
• Literacy Connects
• Make Way for Books
• Read Better Be Better
• Valleywise Health Foundation

The Literary Society is an all-volunteer organization that hosts accomplished authors through member luncheons and engaging book discussions in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson, and raises funds to address literacy issues throughout Arizona and has awarded nearly $400,000 in grants to date.

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit literarysoc.com.

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The George Washington Carver High School, formally named the Phoenix Union Colored High School, is significant for its role in African American history in Arizona. It was the only high school in the state built explicitly for the segregation of African Americans. Carver High School strived to provide a robust academic environment and produced several notable graduates. The historic building is one of the few remaining structures built for African Americans during enforced segregation and became the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center in 1996.

Through recorded video interviews, four alumni of the once-segregated George Washington Carver High School articulate their experiences, challenges and victories they achieved during their time as students, as well as throughout their personal lives and careers. Their oral histories shed light on their remarkable journeys against the backdrop of adversity and offer insight into a pivotal period of Phoenix’s history during the segregation era. 

The series captures the unfiltered narratives of Dr. Frederick Warren, Vera Alice Randolph, Ruth Ann Payne Franklin and Barbara Crane, who navigated and excelled in an environment steeped in inequality. Three of the interviewed alums are women, and through this oral history series, the unique experiences of Black women growing up in Phoenix and the additional barriers they faced to succeed academically and professionally are recorded in posterity.

This series is made possible through the collaborative efforts and funding support of Public Allies Arizona and Arizona State University’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. 

To watch the Carver High School: Alumni Oral History Series, visit youtube.com/@carvermuseumphx. 

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit carveraz.org.

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“This space will be a place for enrichment, music, diversity, education, acceptance, building lifelong values and strong relationship skills, connections …. and dance,” said founder and CEO Marcia Meyer. “We have already put in so much work to the center in order to ensure it reaches its full potential and allows us to expand and amplify our offerings to youth, to families, and to the community.”

The BE KIND CREW kicked off the opening with a brand-new dance performance on their new dance floor. Phoenix City Councilwoman Yassamin Ansari and Maricopa County board of supervisors chairman Jack Sellers spoke about what the center will bring to the neighborhood and the importance of the work being delivered by Be Kind People Project programs. The event wrapped with tours of the center, which includes a video studio, professional dance floor, offices and event space.

“This center will provide a huge lift to our mission to deliver relevant learning and youth development opportunities that inspire humanity, academic achievement, healthy living and initiate a positive change in the learning environment for students wherever and however they learn,” said Be Kind People Project VP of education practices Melissa Britt.

^{Lora Golke was named the new chief development officer}

On the heels of the opening, The Be Kind People Project announced Lora Golke’s appointment as chief development officer. Golke brings a wealth of experience to the organization, having spent over 17 years with the Arizona Community Foundation, culminating in her role as senior director of development and donor engagement. Golke will lead special event, partnership and fundraising efforts, including reporting outcomes and impact.

“After 17 incredible years with ACF, I am ecstatic to move forward with an organization as innovative as The Be Kind People Project. The need for an organization like this is immense, and I look forward to the opportunity to grow their reach as we work together to build an intentionally kind generation,” Golke said.

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit thebekindpeopleproject.org.

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Hold onto your wings. The Phoenix Rotary 100 is hosting Take Flight 2024, a live art display and online auction to raise funds for charities benefiting youth and people experiencing homelessness. A portion of the proceeds will also benefit the Shemer Art Center.

Take Flight will take place on Sunday, March 24, from 12-3 p.m. at the Shemer Art Center in Phoenix. The event will feature more than 40 metal butterfly sculptures, ranging in size from 12 to 48 inches.

Local artists will transform blank metal canvases into original pieces to create artwork representing the community initiative. The butterflies symbolize transformation, reflecting the situations of those experiencing homelessness going through extremely transformative periods of their lives.

“This initiative showcases the incredible talent of our local artists while also symbolizing our collective commitment to transform lives through art,” said Daniel Capote, chair and VP/president-elect of the Phoenix Rotary 100.

“We hope everyone will join us in making a lasting impact on homelessness and youth development. Let’s take flight together and be the change we wish to see in our community,” said Lisa Henning, co-chair and board member of Phoenix Rotary 100.

An online auction is available for those unable to attend the art display. Visit here to start bidding.

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit Rotary100.org/takeflight.

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The Board of Visitors 2024 grant recipients are Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels, Aster Aging, Barrow Neurological Foundation, Boys and Girls Clubs of the Valley, Inc., Brighter Way Institute, Child Crisis Arizona, Feeding Matters, Foundation for Blind Children, Foundation for Senior Living, Grace Sober Living, Homeless Youth Connection, Hope Community Services, Inc., Hushabye Nursery, Neighbors Who Care, Phoenix Rescue Mission, Raising Special Kids, SAAVI Services for the Blind, St. Vincent de Paul, The Board of Visitors Ryan House, and Valleywise Health Foundation.

The final grant of the evening was awarded to Care Card recipient, The Big Pink Bus: 3D Mobile Mammography, a program of Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“Our grant recipients improve the lives of scores of individuals in our community, and we are honored to support their efforts,” said Pam Kolbe, chairman of The Board of Visitors. “We are grateful for the success of our Care Card program, Fashion Show Luncheon and Annual Charity Ball. Our generous supporters and dedicated BOV members allow us to continue our enduring, 116-year legacy of philanthropy.”

Established in 1908, The Board of Visitors is the oldest women’s charitable organization in Arizona. Since its inception, it has granted over $26.5 million to local nonprofits in the greater Phoenix community.

The Board of Visitors is now accepting grant applications for 2025. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit boardofvisitors.org.

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The ALL IN Campaign supports program and patient needs and helps augment voter-approved bonds designated solely for renovating and rebuilding aging facilities. The philanthropic dollars raised will support burn survivorship care at the new Diane & Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center – Valleywise Health; innovative behavioral health programs, such as its evidence-based First Episode Center; teaching Arizona’s future healthcare professionals through its partnership in the Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance; and caring for the community by serving all who seek care, regardless of their ability to pay.

“We are delighted to share this news and forever grateful to all who stepped in to change the future of community health in Arizona,” said ALL IN co-chairs Nita and Phil Francis. “When people understand the unique role Valleywise Health plays in the Valley and that supporting the public teaching health system benefits communities and hospitals throughout the region, they are eager to learn more and get involved. The critical need for philanthropy at Valleywise Health doesn’t end here, but this significant community investment, along with modern new facilities, signals to the country that metro Phoenix believes community health matters.”

The campaign culminates with the opening of the new 10-story Valleywise Health Medical Center, currently under construction and scheduled to open in April 2024. The new acute care hospital will replace the current teaching hospital, which opened in 1971.

Valleywise Health Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to providing financial support for critical patient and program needs at Arizona’s public teaching health system, Valleywise Health. The Valleywise Health mission is to provide exceptional care, without exception, every patient, every time — regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. More than 70 percent of Valleywise Health’s patients are financially vulnerable.

Valleywise Health Foundation extends its gratitude to these committed community members whose unwavering support propelled the organization to this historic fundraising milestone. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit valleywisehealthfoundation.org.

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In 2023, Bank of America Phoenix collaborated with Be A Leader Foundation by providing funding for its free programming that strives to foster a college-going mentality for middle through high school students facing socioeconomic barriers.

“Nonprofit organizations understand the needs and obstacles Phoenix faces, uniquely positioning them to develop the solutions and services required to promote economic opportunity,” said Scott Vanderpool, president of Bank of America Phoenix. “Bank of America will continue to deploy capital and resources to tackle the barriers embedded within our community and create real impact in the lives of individuals and families we serve in the Valley.”

Bank of America Phoenix also partners with Dress for Success Phoenix and Millionaire Mindset Academy’s Impact AZ 2025, two organizations working to remove obstacles to employment and entrepreneurship.

Lastly, Bank of America Phoenix backs LISC Phoenix, an organization dedicated to building sustainable communities that connect people to opportunity. They are currently working on preserving and constructing multifamily affordable housing units along the light rail corridor in Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.

In addition, Bank of America Phoenix employees volunteered 106,000 hours with local nonprofits and nearly 100 of the bank’s leaders served on nonprofit boards throughout the Valley in 2023. Better Money Habits® volunteers also taught classes focused on budgeting and credit to students at several local high schools and colleges, including Maricopa Community College and Arizona State University.

This year’s efforts reflect the bank’s commitment to addressing critical issues and long-term gaps by partnering with local leaders and organizations to support diverse and women entrepreneurs, build job skills, support basic needs and create opportunities to help people succeed today and in the future.

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit bankofamerica.com.

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“We’re excited about our 2024 board of directors, a fantastic team bringing diverse expertise and insight to our vital work,” said IWF Arizona board president JoAnn Holland. “Personally, it’s an honor for me to extend a warm welcome to this powerhouse of committed leaders. I’m genuinely looking forward to collaborating with each of them throughout the year ahead.”

IWF Arizona’s board members hold a one-year term, which will conclude at the end of 2024. The board members are:

• JoAnn Holland of Central Phoenix Women | East Valley Women | North Valley Women | Women of Scottsdale (president)
• Carey Chambers of Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust (vice president and treasurer)
• Gaby Cardenas of Colibri Collective (secretary)
• Heather Rausch of Foxfire Events (communications chair | membership co-chair)
• Mary Mitchell of Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine (membership co-chair)
• Adelaida Severson of Bushtex, Inc. (program chair)
• Lauren Chazal of Headlands Research (mentorship chair)
• Megan Ackaert of Wells Fargo (at large)
• Latasha Causey of Phoenix Raceway (at large)
• Shannon Clancy of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (at large)
• Lisa Hartsock of Valleywise Health (at large)

The new board members will also support IWF Arizona’s new mentorship program: Women Opening Doors to Women, an initiative designed to empower young women on their professional journeys. Set to begin in the fall of 2025, through connections and guidance from IWF Arizona and Global members, the program aims to foster a supportive environment, paving the way for future leaders. 

The International Women’s Forum Arizona was started in 1982 and now includes over 100 prominent Valley-based leaders in various fields like business, the arts, government, academia, STEM and many nonprofit executives.

For more behind this Frontdoor, visit iwfaz.org.

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