'The essence of community': $1.3M in Season for Sharing donations distributed in Arizona
Arizona Republic readers donated $1.3 million to the annual Season for Sharing campaign, and every penny has been passed on to the more than 150 nonprofits focused on making Arizona a better place.
"Season for Sharing is the essence of community. It's neighbors helping neighbors – children with reading, seniors with mobility, teenagers with job skills," said Greg Burton, executive editor of The Republic, azcentral.com and La Voz.
'For 32 years, readers of The Republic have rallied in support of these causes arm-in-arm with The Republic, which has been serving Arizonans for 135 years. We're especially grateful for such opportunities to give back."
The Republic covers all administrative and promotional costs of Season for Sharing, meaning 100% of donations go to organizations helping people in Arizona communities.
It is the largest holiday philanthropic effort in the state.
The biggest grants from the 2024-25 Season for Sharing campaign went to groups dedicated to improving the lives of Arizona families and children. These grants of $25,000 went to the Arizona Food Bank Network, Central Arizona Shelter Services and Child Crisis Arizona
Season for Sharing, which began in 1993, has raised $75 million to bolster nonprofits' efforts to help Arizonans in need. The fundraising campaign has aided groups that were operating long before Season for Sharing was established and groups that are filling new needs in their communities.
Applications received an initial screening by the Arizona Community Foundation before being presented to a review committee made up of employees of The Republic and Gannett.
A full list of grantees from the 2024-25 campaign is available online.
Donations to Season for Sharing are accepted year-round at sharing.azcentral.com.
More than half of the 2023-24 Season for Sharing campaign donations went to changing the lives and futures of Arizona children and families.
UMOM New Day Centers received $23,900. That funding provides 1,500 bed nights for families with children experiencing homelessness, ensuring they have a safe space to sleep.
"This generous grant will help UMOM improve our family emergency shelter, a space where the most vulnerable families in our community can restore their hope and rebuild their lives," said Jackson Fonder, CEO of UMOM New Day Centers.
But UMOM does more than just provide a safe bed, it also provides resources and support unhoused families and children might not be able to access because of their living situations.
For example, Dart shared the story of Caylin, a student who was going to have to repeat ninth grade before coming to UMOM. With the help of the nonprofits on-site Boys & Girls Club, she received the tutoring she needed to start 10th grade on time with her peers.
The Season for Sharing grant will also help UMOM grow to help more families in more ways.
"UMOM is committed to continuously adapting to meet the needs of our community," Fonder said. "From larger shelter rooms to accommodate bigger families, to renovated spaces for living and gathering, we strive to provide everything a family needs to make their homelessness brief and non-recurring."
More: Homelessness is on the rise. How this group is helping Arizona families break the cycle
Nearly one-fourth of Season for Sharing campaign donations were granted to groups that support young people by providing educational opportunities.
ICAN, an educational group in the East Valley, received $7,500 from the campaign. With that grant, ICAN officials said the nonprofit can provide academic opportunities outside of school to nearly 800 Chandler and Mesa students from low-income families.
Kris Alexander, ICAN's chief operating officer, said after-school programs are a critical need.
Reports show that nearly 500,000 Arizona youth have no access to such programs, which Chandler and Mesa school districts don't provide. ICAN's Positive Youth Development Program gives students a place to go after school for help with their learning and support for their future.
"Every dollar invested in ICAN transforms into opportunities for our youth to dream bigger, learn more, and build brighter futures," Alexander said. "Season for Sharing is more than a funding source; it's a community-driven movement that lifts up organizations like ours, ensuring that every child has access to the support and resources they deserve.'
Alexander emphasized the power each Season for Sharing donation had to change the life of an Arizona student.
'We are incredibly grateful for the support of Season for Sharing, whose generosity empowers ICAN to expand our impact and deepen our commitment to the youth we serve," he said. "This grant will directly fuel our mission—helping us provide enriching out-of-school programs that nurture academic success and creativity for kids who need it most."
Twenty-seven organizations that received grants from this year's Season for Sharing nonprofits work to improve the quality of life of older Arizonans.
Aster Aging was among the groups that received grants to aid aging Arizonans, whether through its meal program or its senior center and the programs available there.
With the $10,000 grant, Aster Aging officials said the nonprofit can deliver 2,000 more Meals on Wheels to older and disabled adults in Mesa. Not only will the recipients receive a hot meal, they get an opportunity to socialize and connect with a volunteer.
"For many homebound seniors, this is both the only hot meal and only social contact they will have all day,' said Deborah B. Schaus, chief executive officer of Aster Aging.
The meals the nonprofit provides are a lifeline for many seniors, and the need for these programs has grown significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic.
'The need for Meals on Wheels is increasing, as many seniors on limited fixed incomes are struggling today," Schaus said. "Aster projects the need to serve more than 100,000 Meals on Wheels for our older adult neighbors in Mesa this year.'
For these seniors, the donations of Arizona Republic readers to the Season for Sharing campaign are invaluable and truly make an impact.
'Thank you to everyone who contributed to Season for Sharing this year," Schaus added. "You are truly making the difference in the lives of vulnerable seniors in our community.'
More: Aging Arizonans need help more than ever. This group helps fill that gap with connection
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: $1.3M in Season for Sharing donations distributed in Arizona in 2025
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