The Arizona Women’s Partnership, Inc., an all-volunteer philanthropic non-profit formed in 2002 and based in Phoenix, which provides grants to grass roots charities that assist underserved women and children at risk in Arizona, announces it has hit the $500,000 mark, awarding another $52,500 in grants."This is a huge milestone," notes Paula Cullison, Arizona Women's Partnership founder and president. "We are definitely the little engine that could."

These are its selected 2020 grant recipients:

•  About Care for the Elderly – provides services to the underserved elderly in the East Valley
• Alice’s Place – provides counseling and shelter for victims of domestic violence in Winslow
• Angel Heart Pajama Project – provides pajamas and books to abused/neglected/foster care children in Tucson
• Arizonans for the Protection of Exploited Children and Adults (APECA) - provides shelter for sexually abused teen girls
• Billy’s Place – provides grief counseling to children of deceased parents in Phoenix Metro
• Constructing Circles of Peace – provides domestic violence counseling services in Nogales, AZ
• Desert Sounds Performing Arts –provides musical instruments and instruction for low income youth in Mesa
• Dignity House – provides shelter for sexually trafficked / domestically abused women in metro Phoenix
• Grand Canyon Music Festival – Native American Composer Project for Youth (Navajo/Hopi/Salt River-Pima)
• H.A.V.E.N. Family Resource Center – provides domestic violence and family counseling services in Lake Havasu
• Helping at Risk Teens (HART) – provides food and supplies for underserved youth in the West Valley
• Hope’s Crossing – reentry program for women released from incarceration in metro Phoenix
• Kids in Focus – provides photography programs and mentoring to at risk youth in metro Phoenix
• Laptops4Learning – provides laptop computers to underserved high school and college students in metro Phoenix
• Neighbors Who Care – provides services for the underserved elderly in the East Valley
• Pan de Vida – provides intergenerational social services in Queen Creek/East Valley
• Rim Country Literacy – provides literacy and ESL classes and books for children and adults in Payson
• Somali American United Council of AZ – serves a variety of different refugee groups in metro Phoenix
• Unlimited Potential – ESL and GED programs for Hispanic women and their families south Phoenix
• Welcome to America Project – provides household furnishings / services to refugee families metro Phoenix
• West Yavapai Guidance Clinic Foundation – provides mental health services in Prescott
• Widow’s Link – services for underserved widows in Cottonwood
• Will2Walk – provides services to those with spinal cord injuries in the East Valley
• Y.E.S. for Navajo Youth/Dine’Bike’yah  – provides leadership programs for youth on the Navajo Nation

The AZWP grant selection committee (who met via email) was unanimous in its decision. The committee of 16 was comprised of residents from across the Valley, including Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa and Sun City.

"We are so pleased that we have been able to assist over 80 charities that address critical needs,” states Pamela Gill, AZWP vice president. “Most are multi-year grant recipients."

Visit azwp.org, email azwpinc@aol.com or call 602-863-9744.