The Hawaii Island Humane Society Receives $1.5 Million Grant From The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.
Funds will Support Construction Efforts to Complete the Anne Barasch Ryan Animal Hospital
The Hawaii Island Humane Society (HIHS) – a private, nonprofit animal welfare organization – was awarded a $1.5 million grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation to support final renovations of the Anne Barasch Ryan Animal Hospital. The grant will also name The Bob & Renee Parsons Welcome Center as part of the organization’s extensive Animal Community Center.
The Animal Community Center is a 12-acre campus designed to shelter animals in humane, modern housing and to provide the Hawaii Island community with a variety of low-cost pet services. The center encompasses two dog parks for public use and a welcome center. Recently named The Bob & Renee Parsons Welcome Center, the facility houses a pet support department, retail shop and an administrative building. The Center also features Adoption Square, which includes a fenced-in yard for pets to play outdoors, Scruffee’s Cat Barn and three Dog Dorms. The ultimate vision for HIHS’ Animal Community Center is to provide a humane facility for animals while also ensuring pet owners and community members feel welcomed.
“Renee and I believe in providing critical funding at critical times,” said Founder and CEO of PXG Bob Parsons. “With the addition of the new Anne Barasch Ryan Animal Hospital, the Hawaii Island Humane Society will not only provide critical care to abused and neglected animals, but also expand its services to care for pets community-wide.”
A big part of that care includes veterinary services for both shelter animals and local pet owners. The Anne Barasch Ryan Animal Hospital will allow HIHS to increase its capacity to provide low-cost and free veterinary care services to the community. The 13,000-square-foot facility, slated to be completed by the end of 2022 or early 2023, will feature a veterinary hospital and intake wing. The hospital will include three surgical suites and diagnostic equipment including ultra-sound and x-ray machines, isolation units for pets with infectious diseases, an intensive care unit for pets in recovery and exam rooms. The intake wing will provide temporary housing for adult dogs, puppies, adult cats and kittens that have been surrendered by their owners, found stray or transferred in from other organizations.
“A special mahalo to The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation for this incredible gift to support the completion of the Anne Barasch Ryan Animal Hospital. While this gift is helping to complete a physical structure, as important is the community good that this gift provides. Most importantly, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation is helping to provide needed care to improve animals’ lives,” said Hawaii Island Humane Society CEO Lauren Nickerson.
“Bob and I have made the beautiful island of Hawaii our home away from home,” said President and Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. “We are honored to help in the completion of the Anne Barasch Ryan Animal Hospital and to bring high-quality, low-cost veterinary care to the people and their animals on the island.”
HIHS’ programs and services include adoptions, fostering, volunteering, transport partnerships, behavior and enrichment support, veterinary care, low-cost spay and neuter, Pet Support (encompassing rehoming assistance and resources, education, veterinary outreach and end of life services for pets), a Community Pet Pantry and more. HIHS staff and volunteers are Fear Free Shelter-certified, which ensures each environment reduces fear, stress and anxiety for shelter animals and community-owned pets. To learn more about the Hawaii Island Humane Society and how you can get involved, visit hihs.org or follow @HawaiiIslandHumaneSociety on Facebook.
St. Joseph The Worker Awarded $250,000 Grant From The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.
St. Joseph the Worker (SJW), a nonprofit that connects disadvantaged, homeless and low-income individuals to quality jobs, has been awarded a $250,000 grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The funding will support the organization’s Workforce Villages program, which works to eliminate housing barriers for employed individuals experiencing homelessness.
“The truth is, many people facing homelessness want to work but lack the basic resources to find and maintain employment,” said Founder & CEO of PXG Bob Parsons. “It’s pretty rough keeping a job when you don’t have a place to sleep or take a shower. By providing stable housing and employment resources, St. Joseph the Worker is helping break the cycle of homelessness.”
SJW operates under the mission of giving anyone who is stable, ready and wanting to work a hand-up and not a handout. One of the organization’s key initiatives for finding a solution to homelessness is its Workforce Villages program. A transitional housing option for working, homeless clients, Workforce Villages provides up to three months of rent-free, stable housing. Residents then have the opportunity to transition into permanent housing and receive up to 12 months of additional services such as transportation assistance, professional attire or uniforms, resume development, financial planning, credit repair planning, long-term goal setting and conflict management training. Together, these resources build the foundation needed to achieve economic self-sufficiency and maintain quality employment. SJW defines quality employment as a career providing a livable wage and benefits as well as opportunities for upskilling/advancement.
“We are beyond grateful to The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation for this generous grant,” said Chief Operating Officer of SJW Dean Scheinert. “With this additional funding, we will be able to bolster essential employment resources for our clients that many of us tend to take for granted in our day-to-day lives. There are a lot of hard-working people out there who need a hand up when seeking and landing a job. And, having a significant financial boost from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation will bring us one step closer to ending homelessness through services that support long-term housing and employment.”
The recent grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation will allow the organization to expand its outreach and serve approximately 100 adults in the greater Phoenix area. During the past 12 months, SJW and the Workforce Villages program have helped 5,399 clients maintain and secure quality jobs.
“Access to affordable housing in the greater Phoenix area is a growing issue and, without help, many people experiencing poverty and homelessness are unable to get back on their feet,” said President & Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. “St. Joseph the Worker is breaking down the most common barriers to gainful employment and providing its clients with the opportunity to overcome their circumstances, become financially stable and secure long-term housing.”
SJW reaches clients from more than 50 zip codes across the Valley through its five locations and 90+ nonprofit, government and private partners. In total, the organization has helped transform the lives of more than 35,000 individuals since its establishment and continues to dispense the resources needed to remove employment barriers and create success.
For more than 30 years, SJW has served marginalized, homeless and low-income individuals across Arizona. The organization is currently the largest, 100 percent community-funded employment organization in the state and is responsible for employing more individuals in real, paying jobs than any other Arizona-based nonprofit organization. To learn more about SJW, or for ways to get involved, please visit https://sjwjobs.org/.
one·n·ten Awarded $500,000 Grant From The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.
Transformational Investment in LGBTQ+ Youth will Support Key Programming Statewide
one·n·ten, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of LGBTQ+ youth, has received a multiyear, $500,000 grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The funds will support one·n·ten’s online digital programs, in person satellite sites and Camp OUTdoors. one·n·ten serves LGBTQ+ and allied youth ages 11-24 by promoting self-expression, self-acceptance and healthy life choices.
“The hard truth is, many LGBTQ+ youth feel trapped, unsupported and unseen in today’s society,” said Founder & CEO of PXG Bob Parsons. “It is our duty to stand beside them and ensure that no one, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, feels they are not part of the American Dream.”
one·n·ten strives to provide an atmosphere of acceptance and self-expression to youth who are still discovering their identities and those who may not feel free to express themselves at home, school or work. Its programs offer a high impact, low-cost model, to effectively reach and connect youth throughout Arizona, and beyond.
“The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation has been an incredible supporter of LGBTQ+ youth and young adults,” said Nate Rhoton, CEO of one·n·ten. “Its charitable leadership continues to inspire others to support our organization and allows us to expand our programming to reach even more vulnerable youth in our community.”
The most recent grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation will help support the following programs.
Camp OUTdoors is dedicated to helping LGBTQ+ youth build leadership skills, work in collaborative ways and develop a strong sense of self and community. Offering a mix of traditional, fun camp activities alongside focused workshops and educational programming, campers build confidence and resilience.
The one·n·ten satellite sites offer critical support to youth who do not have access to reliable safe spaces in their communities. These locations across the state help LGBTQ+ youth to make connections with their peers and gain support from caring adults who reflect their unique identities. Weekly group sessions at satellite locations can include guest speakers, small group discussions, art, music, dance, community activism and more.
Digital programs provide opportunities to engage disconnected youth who are unable to attend in person and help connect them to important resources offered by one·n·ten. Engaging, online programs have been facilitated on a variety of youth-friendly platforms like Zoom, Twitch, RocketChat and Discord.
“While we’ve come a long way, the LGBTQ+ community still faces significant challenges when it comes to things like bullying, equal access to medical care or simply having the ability to be confident with their own identity,” said President & Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. “one·n·ten is helping create a world where LGBTQ+ youth are empowered, supported and embraced for who they are.”
To learn more about one·n·ten, its programs and supportive services for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults statewide, visit onenten.org or follow @onentenphx on Instagram or @onenten on Facebook.
ALL In Education Celebrates Adelante Fellowship Graduates & Expansion Of Key Leadership Programs.
Recent grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation supports organization’s mission to close the gaps in opportunity and Latino representation across Arizona’s education system
On May 14, 2022, Arizona for Latino Leaders in Education (ALL In Education) celebrated the graduation of its first cohort of Adelante Fellows and the continued growth and expansion of its key leadership programs. The first Latino-led education advocacy organization in Arizona, ALL In Education was founded to ensure that the communities most impacted by education inequities are the ones making decisions for all children.
More than 45 percent of students in Arizona are Latino, yet only 16 percent of the teaching workforce and less than 13 percent of education board members across the state are Latino. ALL In Education works to develop the next generation of Latino leaders in education and increase representation at the teacher, board and parent levels to improve educational outcomes for students of color.
In support of this work, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation has awarded ALL In Education with a multi-year, $200,000 grant. The funds will provide the organization with the capacity needed to continue evolving its signature leadership programs including The Adelante Fellowship, Parent Educator Academy (PEA) and LISTO.
The first cohort of 23 participants in the Adelante Fellowship program recently completed a 10-month program which offered a deep dive into what it means to be an educational advocate, how policies are formed, how the education system works and the role politics play in influencing the system. The participants completed projects based on four of the most pressing issues impacting Arizona education – the social determinants of education, chronic absenteeism, teacher recruitment and retention and in-state tuition for DACA and Dreamers. As part of the graduation ceremony, the fellows met with community leaders to pitch research-based and data-driven solutions for these issues, along with timelines and implementation strategies.
“ALL In Education is excited to expand and continue to develop programs that help address the gaps in our education system and improve outcomes for Latino, low-income and students of color,” said Stephanie Parra, executive director of ALL In Education. “With the help our or partners, we can create transformational change at every level, from state policy to the classroom and inside our community.”
ALL In’s Parent Educator Academy (PEA) works to train parents on how to better support their children in the classroom. Now in its third cohort, PEA has increased its participant size from a starting group of 27 to 112 parents. The spring cohort celebrated their graduation on May 18 via a virtual ceremony. PEA is further expanding its capacity to serve and will welcome 120 parents and caregivers in fall 2022 from more than 25 public district and charter schools across Maricopa, Pima, Pinal and Yuma counties.
LISTO – Leaders In Support of Transformational Opportunities – is a leadership development program for Latino and values-based leaders that helps prepare them to serve in local and state education and governing board positions. The program graduated its first cohort of 12 participants in December 2021.
By creating these programs, ALL In Education is addressing the fact that the Arizona Education system is not currently equitable for students of color. These students are not graduating at the same rates as their white peers and are not appropriately represented in the state’s education policy-making bodies. The lack of lived experience has led to decisions being made that are not representative of the needs of the communities being served. ALL In Education aims to close the gap and ensure that students have access to opportunity and justice in and out of the classroom. Learn more about ALL In Education and its programs at allineducation.org and follow @AllInEdAz on social media.
Make-A-Wish® Arizona Wish Ball raises record-breaking $3.8 million to grant future Arizona wishes.
Make-A-Wish® Arizona is pleased to announce that the 2022 Make-A-Wish Arizona Wish Ball, presented by Phusion Projects, raised a record-breaking $3.8 million in a single night. The funds will help grant more than 380 future wishes to Arizona children with critical illnesses.
Wish moms Dana Graham and Stephanie Halvorson co-chaired this year’s sold-out event with the theme, Making Waves. Graham and Halvorson’s sons, Carter and Hunter respectively, received wishes after being diagnosed with the same critical bone cancer. Out of this disease, which affects 1 in 200,000 children in the United States, a life-long friendship was born.
“We were honored when we were asked to chair the event because we know the impact of a wish and the value of a wish experience,” said Graham. Halvorson agreed. “Our boys chose different wishes fitting their personalities, yet the outcome was the same for both our families – their wishes brought us joy and hope when we needed it most,” she said.
More than 900 guests attended the event, which included a successful live auction featuring a Danica Patrick pace car experience at Phoenix International Raceway followed by a chef dinner with Mark Tarbell and Patrick including her wine brand, Somnium. The item broke records raising $300,000 toward future wishes.
“As the first year back with a full ballroom, the energy of the room was palpable,” said Fran Mallace, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Arizona. “The generosity of our attendees and our online donors expresses that they too see how a wish can transform a child’s life and believe in the mission of Make-A-Wish – Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.”
The Wish Ball included eight live auction items which raised more than $780,000 and a Fund-A-Wish auction, which collected more than $1 million. The evening ended with a special $1 million pledge from long-time donors Bob and Renee Parsons.
“We started our Foundation with the core belief that hope has the power to heal and change lives,” said Renee Parsons, President & Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel. “I can’t think of an organization that more clearly demonstrates this power than Make-A-Wish Arizona.”
The 2023 Wish Ball will be held on Saturday, March 25 at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa. Chairs will be Jenny Wright and Melissa Bouma. To learn more about Make-A-Wish Arizona and how to get involved, visit: Arizona.wish.org.
The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation Celebrates 10-Year Milestone.
In 2012,The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation was formed to reach economically disadvantaged and underserved populations, marginalized communities and causes often overlooked or underfunded by mainstream philanthropy. Over the past 10 years, the Foundation has given 440 grants to 142 nonprofit partners.
The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation focuses primarily on four key areas – military & first responders, health & home, youth & education and the American dream. Giving is directed to nonprofits that are successfully addressing these issues and can demonstrate and measure the impact of their work.
“When Bob and I first sat down to discuss creating our foundation 10 years ago, we thought about our mission and how we would give. One fundamental goal was a constant, championing inclusivity,” said President & Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. “Making people feel seen, heard and accepted has been a common thread through our work at The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. Every person deserves to feel whole, equal, safe and welcome.”
The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation is driven by the core belief that all people – regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity – deserve access to quality healthcare, education and a safe place to call home. Operating under the tagline “We Deal in Hope,” the Foundation strives to provide life-changing assistance to the community’s most vulnerable populations. Even when it isn’t popular to do so.
“We tackle controversial causes, things people don’t necessarily like to talk about during dinner parties,” said Founder & CEO of PXG Bob Parsons. “We focus on things like MDMA-assisted therapy to cure PTSD, supporting law enforcement, giving scholarships to inner-city students and Dreamers who want to attend college, comforting babies born to opioid-addicted mothers and uplifting LGBTQ organizations.”
Over the past 10 years, the Foundation has granted an average of $1 million every 15 days. And not every grant is glamorous. Gifts are often structured to support general operations, allowing the organization to decide the best use of the funds. To learn more about The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit tbrpf.org.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley Reveals the Renee Parsons Girls Leadership & Excellence Award Winners.
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley (BGCAZ) has announced the fifth annual Renee Parsons Girls Leadership Award. Established by businesswoman and philanthropist, Renee Parsons, the award honors girls who have showcased three fundamental leadership qualities – collaboration, assertiveness and empathy – and provides the awardee the opportunity to be granted up to $80,000 of scholarship funding over four years as well as a new laptop.
Parsons surprised the 2022 honoree, Jayna Shafer, with the award via a Zoom call. During the meeting, Shafer was unaware she had already been selected as this year’s recipient and, instead, was prepared for a candidate interview with Parsons. The announcement was a wonderful shock for both Shafer and her mother who accompanied her on the call. The video can be viewed here.
“So much of what these young women are learning and accomplishing at the Boys & Girls Club are skills that I value in my own life and career,” said Parsons, Co-Founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation and President and Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel. “Jayna’s character, drive and ambition stood out right away and I know she will go on to do great things and inspire others to do the same.”
Shafer is a dedicated student, works 30 hours per week, tutors fellow BGCAZ members in math and science and is an excellent role model to her younger siblings. Shafer plans to pursue a degree in Information Technology and Software Engineering. While the number of women in STEM is growing, it is wonderful to see more young women enter the field. After college she would like to join the Navy to further her career.
“I just want her to go as far as she can and reach her dreams,” said Shafer’s mother, Jennifer. “We are so proud of her.”
While the Foundation serves a variety of youth-related causes, Parsons has personally placed a large emphasis on supporting young women and improving their access to quality education. It is because of this passion that a secondary award was created in 2021, the Renee Parsons Excellence Award. Jessica Davis was named this year’s recipient of the Excellence Award and presented up to $40,000 of scholarship funding over four years along with a new laptop.
Davis is a longstanding member of BGCAZ and caught the attention of Parsons through her dedicated volunteerism, compassion and leadership skills – becoming a mentor for many club members, serving as vice president and treasurer on numerous club committees and striving as a hardworking teammate on the boy’s football team.
For more than 75 years, BGCAZ has been creating equity and hope for youth through academic, social and workforce programming. A large focus is centered on the organization’s four priority outcomes: Academic Success; Good Character & Leadership; Healthy Lifestyles & Career Pathways; and Workforce Readiness. Through these award-winning programs, BGCAZ has been able to reach 13,000+ youth across the Valley. To learn more about BGCAZ, and its impact, please visit bgcaz.org.
Semper Fi & America’s Fund and The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation Raise more than $20 Million in Tenth Year of the Double Down for Veterans Campaign.
Raise $20,000,000 in two months – that was the goal set by Semper Fi & America’s Fund (The Fund) during its 10th annual Double Down for Veterans fundraising campaign. Thousands of supporters stepped up to donate the first $10 million which was then matched, dollar-for-dollar, by The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The challenge ran November 1 through December 31, 2021 and, this year, The Fund reached its $10 million goal a record nine days before the deadline.
“Veterans who are wounded in the line of duty, and facing both physical and psychological battles, come home to a very different reality than the one they left behind,” said Bob Parsons, Marine Corps Vietnam War Veteran and Founder and CEO of PXG. “Although numerous programs and organizations exist to assist our nation’s veterans, none measure up to the immediate and long-term support provided by The Fund.”
The donations will support critically wounded, ill, or injured service members, veterans, and military families across all military branches. The ultimate goal is for these service members and their families to create lives that are not defined by injury or illness but rather filled with hope for what the future holds.
“Bob and Renee Parsons have once again shown the incredible hearts they have for our military families,” said Karen Guenther, Founder, President and CEO of Semper Fi & America’s Fund. “The effect that their generosity has on our Fund family is, quite simply, extraordinary.”
Inspired by the grit, courage, and sacrifice of our nation’s service members, The Fund has provided immediate, needs-based financial assistance and tailored support to more than 27,000 service members and military families. This support can start the first moment of injury and last a lifetime.
“There are so many examples I could give of how The Fund has been there over the years. They help individuals like me regain that independence and have a new mission – that’s really the biggest thing,” Gabe said, a Marine injured in Iraq. “They truly are family. I love them like they were my own family.”
From injury through recovery, The Fund’s comprehensive programs improve the lives of wounded veterans, their families, and military family members with an injury or illness. Case managers, visiting nurses and entire support teams help those they serve to navigate complex medical and emotional recovery.
“The Fund’s individualized support for service members is unique among veterans’ organizations,” said Renee Parsons, President and Executive Creative Director for PXG Apparel. “Even as challenges and new needs arise, The Fund is there, treating each hero under their care like family.”
To learn more or donate to meet the needs of military heroes, visit: thefund.org.
Hushabye Nursery Receives $250,000 Grant From The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.
The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation granted $250,000 to Hushabye Nursery in support of its inpatient detox nursery and recovery center for infants experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Hushabye Nursery provides a therapeutic environment, short-term medical care and social services for infants suffering from NAS, along with outpatient services and resources for families experiencing opioid use disorder (OUD). NAS affects newborn babies who were exposed to opioids in the womb and requires a complex and painful detoxification process in the days following birth. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in the United States, a baby is born every 15 minutes with NAS resulting from prenatal opioid exposure.
“The team at Hushabye Nursery is providing a new level of compassionate care to substance-exposed infants,” said President and Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. “The organization is giving these babies and their families hope, and the tools they need to move forward.”
Hushabye Nursery’s approach is distinctly different than the typical hospitalneonatal intensive care unit. Hushabye Nursery provides a comfortable, safe environment – with quiet, private rooms and dim lighting – for babies to be cared for as they go through detox. While hospitals treat NAS babies primarily with medication, Hushabye resorts to drugs only when necessary. Hushabye’s approach has lowered treatment time during this painful period to an average of only six days compared to an average of 16 to 21 days in traditional hospital neonatal ICUs.
“Created by nurse practitioners, Hushabye Nursery is one of only three nationwide medical care models dedicated to treating infants experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome,” said Hushabye Nursery executive director and founder Tara Sundem. “Thanks to generous donors like Bob and Renee Parsons, we are able to support and comfort babies through the withdrawal process and offer moms and dads who are in recovery a nonjudgmental place to develop a long term plan for treatment and keeping their family safe.”
Hushabye Nursery takes a holistic approach to treating babies born with NAS and supporting their families by offering behavioral health and educational resources. In addition to the nursery, Hushabye offers wraparound services, including both prenatal and postnatal programs. Even after a baby is discharged, the organization helps coordinate long-term care such as pediatric support, counseling and OUD treatment, as well as recovery and prevention programs.
“The harsh reality is the infants being cared for by Hushabye Nursery are born addicted to opioids and suffering the excruciatingly painful process of withdrawal,” said PXG Founder and CEO Bob Parsons. “The loving care Hushabye extends, along with social services and family support, sets a foundation for these children to have some chance for a better future.”
The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated opioid use disorder and it is estimated that one in eight children ages 17 or younger resided in households with at least one parent who had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year. The prevalence of OUD within families underscores the need for Hushabye Nursery’s comprehensive approach to OUD prevention, one that treats the entire family, is community-based and culturally informed and addresses the traumatic experiences that may accompany substance use. This integration of healthcare and social services helps keep children safely with their families instead of being separated during recovery, mitigating the impact of adverse childhood experiences on families. To learn more about the organization or how to get involved, please visit the Hushabye Nursery website at www.hushabyenursery.org.
Local First Arizona Foundation Is Awarded $330,000 Grant From The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.
Funding to support the organization’s Entrepreneurial Education and Job Development Campus in South Phoenix
Local First Arizona Foundation (LFAF) – a nonprofit committed to community and economic development and the largest locally-owned business coalition in the country – has been awarded a $330,211 grant from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The multi-year grant will support food entrepreneurs, particularly those who capitalize on LFAF’s newest program coming soon to the Brooks Academy Campus in South Phoenix. Through his program, the organization will mentor and train local small business owners, specifically entrepreneurs of color, as they leverage the vibrant flavors and cuisine of their culture to grow thriving businesses that feed their community.
Over the next two years, Local First will develop the Entrepreneurial Education and Job Development Campus in South Phoenix (Campus) and mentor 75 existing food businesses in the area. The goal is to provide training programs in English and Spanish that will help these entrepreneurs learn to more efficiently manage their businesses and maximize profitability to help ensure long-term success.
“Local First and the new Entrepreneurial Education and Job Development Campus is a major step forward in advancing entrepreneurial inclusivity in Arizona,” said President and Executive Creative Director of PXG Apparel Renee Parsons. “The benefits of growing local small businesses extend beyond a single proprietor and help create strong, sustainable communities.”
Located in what is currently considered a food desert, the campus will utilize unused space at a local elementary school and include classrooms, a commercial kitchen and expansive food gardens. A robust farmers market featuring local vendors will serve low-income families each week with increased access to culturally appropriate, healthy and affordable food. The program aims to help alleviate food insecurity and positively impact overall nutrition for more than 3,000 families in the surrounding community.
“When entrepreneurs have an opportunity to create and connect in their community with one another, it positively affects an entire area and gives it–and everyone in it–a path forward. A path where healthy food becomes more accessible, and businesses have a chance to grow and thrive,” said Local First CEO Kimber Lanning. “This and more community kitchens offer a way for new business owners to take solid steps forward building their businesses, supporting their families and employees and breaking down the barriers that previously stood in their way.”
Barriers to success for BIPOC individuals have long-since existed and include lack of access to capital, coupled with racialized zoning policies, which leave Black and Latino communities in the South Phoenix area extremely marginalized. This program aims to directly invest in these communities to build generational wealth through the advancement of successful small business development. In addition to growing culturally diverse food businesses in the area, the program will support 48 immigrant/refugee entrepreneurs and improve job skills of 250 local residents.
“Everyone willing to put in the work deserves to get an equal shot at building their own business and creating a better life for themselves and their families,” said Founder and CEO of PXG Bob Parsons. “Local First Arizona is helping give entrepreneurs, especially those in underserved communities, better access to the tools they need to succeed.”
Founded in 2003, LFA supports underserved entrepreneurs and locally owned businesses to help build a diverse, inclusive and prosperous Arizona economy. One-of-a-kind services and resources – such as hands-on learning opportunities, entrepreneurial development and community advocacy – help enable local business owners to be more resilient and improve overall success rates. To learn more, visit localfirstaz.com.
