We are pleased to announce The Thunderbird Charities Board of Directors has approved a $20,000 grant to Educare Arizona to go toward our Early Education Extended Day Program!

Educare Arizona’s mission is to ensure vulnerable young children and their families achieve success in school and in life by providing quality early childhood learning, family support, and health care.

“When we received the contribution letter from Thunderbird Charities, we were thrilled,” said Christine Nowaczyk with Educare Arizona. “Their commitment and support makes a significant difference in our community. This generous grant will allow Educare Arizona to continue our mission for providing our young children and their families with the resources and tools they need to be successful in school and in life.”

Thunderbirds Charities is a non-profit organization formed in 1986 to distribute monies raised through the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament. The Thunderbirds Charities Board consists of 15 board members from varying professional backgrounds. The mission of Thunderbirds Charities is to assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in our communities. The organization’s giving is directed toward organizations based or with a significant presence in Arizona.

There’s a great new way to support Educare Arizona and the beneficial early childhood education and family support programs it provides for children and families in our community.

The Educare Ambassadors is a new group being formed to support Educare Arizona and spread the word about the impact it is having in our community. We’re looking for volunteers to help us in a variety of ways.

• Share Educare Arizona information with your networks and through social media.
• Volunteer on site and in the classroom to have a direct impact on the facility and the children and families we serve.
• Volunteer at our Fifth Anniversary signature event coming up this fall.

To learn how you can get involved and support Educare Arizona, contact Lisa Fernandez, Chief Development Officer, at 602.845.4150 or lisa@educarearizona.org. Thank you for your support!

Educare Arizona was proud to host a tour for Arizona’s first lady Mrs. Angela Ducey and Mrs. Kathy Pidgeon in conjunction with their work as co-chairs of the Governor’s Council on Child Safety and Family Empowerment.

Picture left to right: Dr. Jeff Smith – Balsz School District Superintendent, Kathy Pidgeon  and Angela Ducey – Governor’s Council on Child Safety and Family Empowerment Co-chairs, John Scola- Educare Arizona CEO, Denise Higgins- Educare Arizona Board Member, Mindy Zapata, Southwest Human Development Early Head Start and Head Start Director

In addition to being advocates for early education, Educare Arizona also provides community support and training.  Above is a parent explaining her experience with our Child Development Associate (CDA) training and how she now works in a classroom.

The Educare Arizona Board of Directors has appointed two new members: Leela Brennan and Mitch Moore. Brennan, an experienced communications professional, has had the opportunity to partner with some well-known brands and personalities, including GoDaddy and GoDaddy founder Bob Parsons. She is currently the Director of Marketing & Communications for Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG). Brennan holds a Bachelor’s degree from Goucher College and a Master’s degree from City University of London, and resides in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband and their son.

Mitchell Moore, a current member of Score Finance, LLC, has years of experience in fiscal management and leadership for Arizona organizations. He serves several civic organizations including as a Fellow of The Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, Suns Charities 88, Mesa Leadership Training and Development, and the East Valley Partnership. In addition to Mr. Moore’s professional experience he brings a true passion for youth education and dedication for improving Arizona.

John Scola, CEO of Educare Arizona, stated “We are privileged to welcome Leela and Mitch to the Educare Board of Directors. They each bring a unique and critical perspective to the work of Educare, and they will complement our current directors extremely well. Together, we will change the conversation about early childhood education in our state.”