Contact: Jean Christofferson
Catholic Charities Community Services
Cell: 602-650-4847
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FIESTA BOWL CHARITIES AWARDS $53,000 GRANT TO WESTSIDE HEAD START TO REMODEL LAMAR PLAYGROUND
PHOENIX, Ariz. (April 26, 2019): Westside Head Start, a program of Catholic Charities, just completed a remodel of the aging playground at its Lamar Head Start location in Glendale using a generous $53,000 grant from Fiesta Bowl Charities. Lamar is just one of the 19 locations throughout the west valley that are available for students in Westside Head Start early education programs.
With the grant, Westside Head Start purchased new playground equipment, tot turf, a full track for tricycles and repaired the shade structure at Lamar, where Catholic Westside Head Start has served the community for 39 years and provides extensive early education for nearly 60 children up to five years old.
“The playground was in desperate need of repair and updating, and this very generous grant has helped create a wonderful spot for the children in our Head Start program,” said Catholic Charities President and CEO Paul Mulligan. “On behalf of those children, we are deeply grateful.”
Westside Head Start and Early Head Start provides comprehensive, early, continuous, year-round childhood education through a holistic approach by working with the whole family. Programs emphasize pre-reading, language, math, cognitive skills, health, and social and emotional competence to prepare disadvantaged children for school and to maximize potential for a bright future.
“This location serves one of the communities that is most in need, and we are thrilled to make this improvement,” said Larry Campbell, Executive Director, Westside Head Start. “But the Head Start effect goes far beyond the playground. Research has shown that Head Start students are less likely to be arrested, less in need of public assistance, and more likely to graduate.”
Last year, more than 1,170 children were served by Westside Head Start. Of those, more than 80 percent of the Head Start families and nearly 75 percent of Early Head Start families were living in poverty. For more information about Fiesta Bowl Charities, visit www.fiestabowl.org/charities. For more information on Westside Head Start, contact Catholic Charities at 602-285-1999 or visit www.CatholicCharitiesAZ.org.
ABOUT THE FIESTA BOWL ORGANIZATION
The Fiesta Bowl is a world-class community organization that executes innovative experiences, drives economic growth and champions charitable causes, inspiring pride in all Arizonans. As a nonprofit organization, it believes in the importance of community outreach and service. Through charitable giving, the organization strives to enhance Arizona nonprofit organizations that contribute to the success of communities through youth, sports and education. Since 1971, the Fiesta Bowl has worked to increase its footprint across the state and work to benefit Arizonans year round, during and outside of bowl season.
ABOUT CATHOLIC CHARITIES COMMUNITY SERVICES
For more information, please contact Catholic Charities at 602-285-1999 or visit www.CatholicCharities.org.
Founded in 1933, Catholic Charities Community Services provides care for the vulnerable of all faiths in Central and Northern Arizona through programs in foster care, early education, affordable housing, veterans’ services, refugee resettlement, and homeless outreach. Learn more by visiting www.catholiccharitiesaz.org. Social connections include www.facebook.com/CatholicCharitiesAZ and twitter.com/CCArizona.
