Coffee buzz for a cause

Independently owned and operated coffee drive-thru Dutch Bros. Arizona is holding its annual Bucks For Kids event on Friday, Dec. 9. Each location will donate 50 cents from each drink sold to the Tempe Boys & Girls Club.

The Tempe Boys & Girls Club keeps kids off the streets and out of trouble while giving them a safe place to go after school where they can participate in character-building activities. The organization relies on public donations to support its programs.

Customers can sip drinks while helping kids at any of the following locations from 5:30am to 11pm Friday:

Rural and Guadalupe
6461 S Rural Rd, Tempe

McQueen & Guadalupe
722 N McQueen Rd, Gilbert

Gilbert & McKellips
1960 E McKellips Rd, Mesa
5:30am-11pm

Camelback & Central
4 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix

Bell & 29th St
2961 E Bell Rd, Phoenix

Scottsdale & McDowell
1422 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale

Mill & Southern
3213 S Mill Ave, Tempe (this location is open until midnight)

Rural & Lemon
1037 S Rural Rd, Tempe

A project for the animal lover in all of us

The car was car making funny noises on the way to the store. When the owners realized a two-month-old Chinese Shar-Pei puppy was stuck in the engine, they called Arizona Humane Society’s Emergency Animal Medical Technicians.

After quite a bit of maneuvering they were able to free Scarlet.

But she was not out of the woods.  She was covered in oil, wounds and burns to her belly. The EAMTs rushed Scarlet to AHS’ Second Chance Animal Hospital, where she has since undergone extensive treatment and surgery to help her heal from her wounds.

Currently, Scarlet is in AHS’ foster care program, where she will most likely spend another two weeks before being put up for adoption.

Participants in Arizona Humane Society’s new Project 121: Action for Animals will have the opportunity to follow Scarlet’s story until she has her happy ending.

The program honors the 121 animals (on average) that enter AHS doors every day. The six-week campaign launches Saturday, July 16 and culminates in a live, 121-minute telethon on Aug. 27.

You can support the work of AHS by shopping at any AJ’s Fine Foods from July 16 through Aug. 27 and making a donation at checkout to the faces of Project 121.

Visit project121.org to learn more about this unique, community engagement campaign for the animal lover in all of us.

Website shows ways to serve

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer recently launched a new online resource, ArizonaSERVES.gov, in response to decreased funding for support services due to the economic downturn.

Brewer, who introduced the website in her “Call to Serve” letter to Arizona residents in January, hopes that the new resource will help organizations and members of communities across Arizona collaborate to address the needs of those affected by funding changes.

ArizonaSERVES seeks to engage local faith-based and nonprofit organizations to maximize support for those in need, including the elderly, disabled and poor.

Over the past year, the ArizonaSERVES Task Force has worked to evaluate how existing resources and programs can be utilized or repurposed to provide maximum support in service areas devastated by decreased funding.

The initiative aims to provide a forum for opportunities around the issues of Service, Engagement, Responsiveness, Volunteerism, Encouragement and Support (SERVES) in communities around the state.

It focuses on five main areas: foster care, affordable child care, Child Protective Services, transportation for those in need and
elderly independence or grandparents raising grandchildren.

The website itself contains information about service opportunities, a listing of other online community resources, minutes from all meetings of the Task Force and Issue Team and community news.

ArizonaSERVES.gov is a collaborative, long-term effort to centralize resources in an attempt to facilitate community service efforts for individuals eager to reach out in a difficult financial climate. Visit the site today to see how you can serve.

United Food Bank seeking donations

Shane Crum, United Food Bank warehouse manager, receives Ryan Rupa's donation.

Eagle Scout Ryan Rupa of Gilbert set a goal for himself: to provide 210 cases of water to United Food Bank. Last Monday, he exceeded that goal, delivering 223 cases, much to the delight of the food bank staff.

“As the temperatures warm up, donations tend to decrease, but the need, especially for water, is still there,” says Bob Evans, United Food Bank President and CEO. United Food Bank provides food to more than 270 agencies throughout five counties in Arizona and serves the entire East Valley.

“I chose United Food Bank because I felt a sense of comfort when studying about them and I knew their goal was a lot similar to mine,” says Ryan. “I chose water because I know how ridiculous these Arizona summers can get and how extreme the temperatures are. It is so sad to think that people can’t drink water when it’s over 100 degrees.”

Ryan went door to door, telling people when he would be by to collect the water. “After the initial collection, I was short, so I asked friends and family to help,” he says.

Others who would like to donate water can bring it to United Food Bank at 245 S Nina Drive in Mesa from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“We provide food and water to 230-plus agencies in Arizona, including homeless shelters, soup kitchens, senior citizen centers and kids’ programs,” says Lisa Goin, chief development officer. “During the summer, we never have enough water to serve all of the groups that we help.”

The Town of Gilbert and the City of Chandler have launched a friendly food drive competition for its residents and employees. Several drop-off points have been set up throughout the two communities. Water and non-perishable foods such as tuna, peanut butter, canned vegetables, soups, beans, nuts are needed.

“As temperatures heat up, donations of both food and money dip for us, but the need is still there, so this competition comes at the perfect time,” says Evans.

To get a food donation box at your office or business, call 480-503-6766 for the Town of Gilbert and 480-782-2000 for the City of Chandler. Gilbert residents can drop off donations at Town Hall buildings or any local fire station. For a list of locations where donations can be dropped off in Chandler, visit chandleraz.gov/fooddrive. The competition runs through May 31.

Sweet incentives to reach out and help

March offers a couple of opportunities to do good deeds and treat yourself at the same time:

Think pink for frozen yogurt

A new, self-serve frozen yogurt shop in Mesa will donate 20 percent of all sales on Thursday, March 3, to The Breast Cancer Society, Inc.

SDFY: What’s the Skinny? (Seriously Delicious Frozen Yogurt) is located at 2023 W Guadalupe Rd #14, on the southwest corner of Dobson and Guadalupe. It offers eight different yogurt flavors, with more than 40 different toppings, including fresh fruit.

The event will go on all day during regular business hours of 11am to  9pm. SDFY will serve all of its pink/red-colored yogurts (pomegranate, pink cotton candy, peppermint, red velvet cake, cherry, and strawberry) that day and also will offer pink bracelets for a $1 donation to The Breast Cancer Society. Educational materials regarding breast cancer will be handed out to all the customers.

Book drive nets Cold Stone Creamery treat

The Phoenix Suns Wives organization has teamed up with Cold Stone Creamery to host their annual book drive. Fans that bring two or more new or gently used children’s or young adult books to any of the 50 Cold Stone Creamery locations Valleywide through March 10 will receive a complimentary Like It Creation™ with one mix-in.

The book drive will culminate at US Airways Center when the Suns take on the Orlando Magic on Sunday, March 13. Fans who bring a book donation to the game will receive one raffle ticket per book donated.  Winners will receive one of five raffle prizes that will be given away at the end of the game. Members of the Suns Wives will be collecting books at each entrance of the arena. The game will tip-off at 12:30 p.m., with doors opening at 11 a.m.

Each prize package will represent a Suns star and feature an autographed jersey, a chance to meet a Suns player and a Cold Stone Creamery gift card.

The Suns Wives organization is comprised of the significant others of the players, coaches, basketball operations staff and senior management. The Suns Wives strive to make a difference in the lives of families and children by volunteering time, energy and resources to various charitable organizations throughout the Valley.

The Elontec School Diaper Challenge

The Elontec School Diaper Challenge is asking Valley schools to compete to collect diapers in support of families in need. The challenge is part of the Homeward Bound 12^th Annual Baby Diaper Drive, for which Elontec is a sponsoring partner.

The school that collects the most diapers – in sizes 3, 4, 5 and 6 – will win a Mimio Teach, an interactive system that turns an ordinary whiteboard into a technology whiteboard.

“This is a great way to foster ‘kids helping kids,’ a wonderful school- and community-building event and an opportunity to teach philanthropy and leadership in a hands-on way,” says Elontec president Ginger Clayton. “Several schools already are participating, including Candeo School, West Wing Elementary and Primrose School of Fletcher Heights.”

The challenge ends Sunday, Jan. 30.

For more information or to register for the Elontec School Diaper Challenge contact Clayton at 623-445-0055 or visit BabyDrive.org.