2016 Community Impact Grant Recipients
Tucson Electric Power has awarded $250,000 in grants to help a dozen local nonprofit groups improve education, protect our environment and provide services to limited-income families affected by homelessness, domestic violence, poverty and child abuse.
TEP employee volunteers and other stakeholders selected this year’s grant recipients through a competitive process that attracted nearly 200 applications. Winners were chosen based on program effectiveness and sustainability, applicants’ organizational capabilities and other criteria.
Visit the Community Impact Grants homepage.
Community Assistance
CHRPA - $75,000
Community Home Repair Projects of Arizona (CHRPA) was awarded its grant for repairs of approximately 175 limited-income households through the Safe at Home Coalition. CHRPA will work with the American Red Cross of Southern Arizona, Habitat for Humanity and the Pima Council on Aging to identify seniors whose homes are in need of smoke detectors and basic interior repairs required for safe, healthy and more energy-efficient independent living. Funds also will be used to make cosmetic and accessibility improvements outside seniors' homes.
Our Family Services - $30,000
Our Family Services Inc. will provide temporary housing, food, clothing, furnishings and household goods to hundreds of homeless families and children through the organization’s New Beginnings Shelter & Housing Programs.
Sahuarita Food Bank - $17,650
Sahuarita Food Bank and Good Shepherd United Church of Christ will expand its backpack food program, which will feed an additional 85 children from limited-income families during the school year.
Casa de los Niños - $10,000
Casa de los Niños Crisis Shelter Program will offer an additional 220-230 nights of respite care to families facing personal crises, poverty, homelessness, job loss, domestic violence or other unsafe conditions at home.
Handi-Dogs, Inc. - $5,000
Handi-Dogs, Inc. and its Rescue to Service Dog Program identifies dogs that need homes and demonstrate the potential to become therapy dogs or service dogs for people with disabilities.
SACAC - $5,000
Southern Arizona Children's Advocacy Center will upgrade cameras, computers and other equipment used to diagnose and document medical conditions of abused and neglected children.
Education
CommunityShare - $20,000
City Center for Collaborative Learning’s CommunityShare program matches teachers and students with community members who offer real-world learning experiences. Funds will help pay for staffing to boost outreach and increased use of a new online platform.
Act One - $10,000
The Act One Field Trip Program will allow approximately 800 students from underserved schools to visit local performing arts productions. Funds will be used to pay for tickets, transportation, books and other educational materials.
JobPath, Inc. - $10,000
JobPath, Inc. and its Ensure Success program will provide financial support to a handful of unemployed or underemployed Pima County residents enrolled in college-level education and job-training programs.
YMCA - $10,000
The YMCA of Southern Arizona will help dozens of children at multiple Tucson-area locations participate in the Summer Learning Loss Prevention Program, which provides literacy activities, organized play and nutrition classes for six weeks during the summer.
Sonoran Art Foundation, Inc. - $7,000
Sonoran Art Foundation, Inc. and its Youth Education Program will provide glass art training to approximately 600 underserved youth. Funds will be used to purchase glass and other materials and to pay for kiln operation.
Environmental Protection and Sustainability
Reid Park Zoological Society - $50,350
This grant to the Reid Park Zoological Society will help fund a solar photovoltaic system for a new animal veterinary center. Technicians for Sustainability, a local solar contractor, will install 63 solar modules that help power the new, energy-efficient facility.