The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation Awards $1M to Child Crisis Arizona
Child Crisis Arizona, whose mission is to provide Arizona children and youth a safe environment free from abuse and neglect by creating strong and successful families, has received a $1 million donation from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The contribution will support both the organization’s annual operational costs and its Center for Child & Family Wellness in Mesa. Currently under construction, the 38,000-square-foot, climate-friendly, net-zero campus will expand Child Crisis Arizona’s ability to serve more people and offer health, wellness and educational opportunities to the community.
“Since 2015, Child Crisis Arizona has more than doubled in size and scope of services, experiencing unprecedented growth in our early education services, which increased by 200 percent, and our shelter bed capacity, which increased by 177 percent,” said Torrie Taj, CEO of Child Crisis Arizona. “While this growth has drastically increased the number of children and families we serve, it has caused staff members and entire departments to become displaced and dispersed throughout the Valley to make space for additional classrooms and shelter beds as needed.”
The Center for Child & Family Wellness will centralize Child Crisis Arizona operations and become the new home to services for low-income children and families, including foster care and adoption services; family education; children’s counseling; health and wellness, including medical screenings and basic needs; centralized kitchen and food distribution; centralized administration and philanthropy; foster teen programs; art, dance, and music therapy; and volunteer and staff training. It will also allow for strategic collaborations with organizations such as Ballet Arizona, United Food Bank, Big Brothers Big Sisters and Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona.
“Child Crisis Arizona is often the go-to resource provider for children and families in need,” said Bob Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Their new state-of-the-art campus will continue to improve how we take care of vulnerable children and families, offering hope and support when families need it most.”
Upon its completion in early 2024, the two-story campus will be among the first of its kind in Arizona to put sustainability at the forefront, meeting the highest level of standards for indoor air quality and attaining a Living Futures Petal Project Certification.
For more behind this Frontdoor, visit childcrisisaz.org.
