We care about the people we serve and those who serve them.
The numbers reflect the impact but the faces of those we serve tell the story. – Mary Lynn
Letter from the President & CEO
Every year, we elevate how we serve our community, finding new ways to make a difference. This past year, we celebrated our 50th year while serving a total of 115,000 individuals.
The Area Agency celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Heard Museum on May 22, 2024. With 225 people in attendance, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, presented a proclamation to the Area Agency declaring May 22nd as Area Agency on Aging, Region One Day. Also present were National dignitaries who spoke to our group including Sandy Markwood (USAging), Bill Benson (International Association for Indigenous Aging), and Bob Blancato (Elder Justice Coalition). The celebration brought back our second director, Connie Baldwin, and one of the original employees, Fred Karnas, both of whom spoke that day.
Partnering with 26 sponsors, we were able to exceed our $50,000 fundraising goal to pay for the event. Our Gold sponsors were in attendance and presented. We were able to share our 50 Years of Impact eras-type book that presents our organization’s history and highlights the past five decades of work, including responding to
1 million 24-Hour Senior HELP LINE calls, providing 39 million meals and 11.4 million transportation trips, delivering 11 million hours of respite relief for family caregivers and 4.3 million hours of home care, and supplying 2 million hours of case management.
We continued to make a difference in the area of housing and homelessness, as well. With the passing of a housing assistance bill by the Arizona Legislature, we were able to use funds to create the Homeless Intervention and Prevention Program (HIP). During the first nine months, these funds helped 469 older adults pay their rent/mortgage, utilities, property taxes, and moving expenses. More than half we helped had received eviction and shut-off notices. During the year, I was personally invited to join the Maricopa Regional Continuum of Care. Half of the homeless adults in our county are 50 or older, and many for the first time in their lives. It is estimated that there are over 3,000 homeless adults over 50 in Maricopa County.
Throughout the year, the Agency was recognized for its efforts.
We won three Mature Media Awards. Two Gold Awards recognized our Elder Abuse Awareness Campaign and our Scottsdale Home Delivered Meal Program video, and one Merit Award recognized our volunteer recruitment efforts. We also received an Aging Achievement Award from USAging for our Goods2Home program, which provided over 4,000 cleaning kits to HUD housing residents. The project was funded by the City of Phoenix.
The Area Agency was able to begin new projects that garnered support from several sources. We received funding from USAging to promote vaccinations throughout Maricopa County, exceeding our goal and administering over 3,000 vaccines. Additionally, Amazon donated 500 Ring Doorbells and Stick-up cameras to the Agency to give to clients who wanted to feel safer in their homes.
Two of our long-standing programs continued to be recognized nationally. Our ElderVention Program Director was invited to represent Arizona
at the Suicide Policy Academy in Maryland. Care Directions, our 30-year commitment to serving those 18 and older who are living with HIV, was invited to share its expertise at several conferences as “HIV and Aging” is now a critical issue for those 50 and older.
We also had ElderVention, which provides Behavioral Health Services, publish its Too Many Treasures hoarding manual. And in October 2023, the Area Agency hosted our 5th Night of the Living Will in partnership with the Arizona Bar, during which, 29 attorneys helped 105 adults complete their Healthcare Directives.
Stepping into 2025, we are encouraged by the momentum we built over the past years, and we look forward to continuing to make a difference in the lives of those who need our services and support.
Mary Lynn Kasunic President & CEO
Over the past five decades, the Area Agency has responded to 1 million telephone calls to the 24-Hour Senior HELP LINE. Area Agency has also provided:
39 million meals
11.4 million transportation trips
11 million hours respite relief for family caregivers
4.3 million hours home care
2 million hours case management
Programs and Services
Programs and Services
ELDERCONNECT®
PANDEMIC RESPONSE PROGRAMS
Overall FY24 program numbers: 115,480 clients served
838,260 meals served
59,654 calls and emails to the 24-Hour Senior HELP LINE 267 outreach activities reaching 19,249 attendees
Community Partners
Aligned with our mission, the organizations we partner with share our commitment to the diverse populations we serve. This network extends our ability to make a difference and enables us to reach the goals we have for our community.
AIRES, LLC
Alarys Home Care
All Ways Caring HomeCare
Alzheimer’s Association
Arcadia Home Care & Staffing
Arizona Senior Citizens Law Project
Arizona YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix
Aster Aging, Inc.
Attentive Home Health
AZCEND
Banner Health
Benevilla
Bio Team AZ
Chicanos Por La Causa
City of Avondale
City of Buckeye
City of Phoenix
City of Surprise
City of Tolleson
Devoted Guardians, Inc.
Duet: Partners in Health & Aging
Foothills Caring Corps
FSL Programs
Home Sweet Homecare Agency
HonorHealth
Jewish Family & Children’s Services
Just For You Transportation
Kiwanis Club of New River
Live Well Senior Care, LLC
Marc Community Resources, Inc.
Maricopa County Human Services
MD Home Assist
Mom’s Meals
Oakwood Creative Care, Inc.
The Salvation Army
SYNERGY HomeCare East
SYNERGY HomeCare North Valley
Tempe Community Action Agency
Town of Gila Bend
Town of Guadalupe
Valley Center of the Deaf
Your Angel on Duty
Community Donors
Through the charitable giving of our compassionate donors, we’re able to provide the comprehensive services and support our community needs. Without their involvement, what we achieve year after year would not be possible.
$35,000 +
Arizona Community Foundation
Betty Carnes Endowment Fund
Satterberg Foundation
$10,000 TO $15,000
City of Goodyear
Nothing But Net
Renco Roofing
Sonora Quest Laboratories
Staffing First
Vitalyst Health Foundation
GIFT TOTALS, JULY 1, 2023 – JUNE 30, 2024
$5,000 TO $9,999
Aunt Rita’s Foundation
Arizona Republic/ 12 News Season for Sharing
Mercy Care
Southwest Gas Corporation Foundation
Sun City Rotary Foundation
The Waugh-Bell Trust
Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust
$1,000 TO $4,999
Biltmore Lions Club
Claris Healthcare
Charities Aid Foundation of America
Davidson Family Foundation
Frazer Ryan Goldberg & Arnold LLP
GBS
J.P. Morgan
Ladies Auxiliary of BPOE 2559
Lakeview United Methodist Women
Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church
Sun Lakes United Methodist Church
Surprise Fraternal Order of Eagles Auxiliary
The Mahoney Group
Trualta
White House Design Studio
$500 TO $999
Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
Band of Angels, Inc
Congregational Church of Sun City
Desert Palms Presbyterian Church
Grand Avenue Produce
Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church
Stern Brothers & Company
Unity Church of Practical Christianity
UP TO $400
American Online Giving Foundation
Catholic Daughters
Fry’s Food Stores/ Kroger Co. Foundation
Intrinsic Wealth Counsel, Inc.
Network for Good
New Song United Methodist Church
St. Clare of Assisi Parish
State Employees
Charitable Campaign
United Methodist Women New Song
United Women in Faith
Whetstine Law Firm PC
Individual Donors
$2,500 +
Bridget Casey
Melissa Elliott
Mary Lynn Kasunic
Judy Ann Reynolds
Revocable Living Trust
Tom Soldat
$900 TO $2,499
Jeannine Berg
Linda Brown
Susan Doubek
Jamie Craig Dove
Sharon Ehni
Shary Everett
Mai Gabil
Michael Harper
Lisa Harville
Carol Lee
Dan Maynard
Manolo Nicdao
Mazi & Zari Pavri
Roberta Phin
Tobias Pierce
Sophie & Michael Rhodes
Richard Rogers
Cindy Saverino
Joanne Schust
GIFT TOTALS, JULY 1, 2023 – JUNE 30, 2024
Sharon & Murray Siegel
Karen Vanaskie
Julia Wallace
$500 TO $899
Christopher Ackel
James Albu
Dana Anspach
Sunil Baliga
Edith M. Berry
Tiffany Cooper
Jennifer Cuevas
Iliana Ferrance
Erin Finkelstein
Ana Flores
Carla Flores
Michelle Freeman
Claire Fugit
Nicholas Gionet
Johannah Glover
Dustin Haynes
Anna Hershkowitz
Jane & John Koval
Gerry Kroloff
Laurie Leighton
Joyce & Alan Mitchell
Stephen Myers
Sally Ortega
Kathleen Pagels
Judy Peterson
Sandra & Kirk Ressler
Kristina Robinson
Josh Sauter
Christopher Savage
Roland Seasonal
Michelle Selsor
Ava & Chuck Stanford
Beverly Tarpley
Amanda Vitolo
Janine Zinke
$250 TO $499
Stacy Aeed
Michelle Ashton
Pattie Austin
Arnold Becker
Marcia Beecroft
Gloria Betts Hauser
Marjorie Blum
Jackie Broderick
Steve Carr
Nadia Cassanguir
Mary Coalson
Cindy DePonti
Mario Diaz
Linda & Fred Femiano
Kathy Flores
Bonnie Ford
Stacey Gandy
Harry Garewal
Cynthia Gaughan
Alice Ghareib
Kathleen & Richard Gohl
Kira Harvey
Vikki Harvey
Scott Hawthornthwaite
Barbara Kaifesh
Jeff Kulaga
Carolyn Lane
Ted LeSueur
Edward Lockett Jr.
Anita Loehr
Carol M. Hansen
Rosa Matthers
Holly McDaniel
Judy McFadin
Tim Meenan
Carol Menichelli
Pitchou Mulongo
Gene Nance
Cyndi Patterson
Annette Petzel
Prescilla Posadas
Sue & Ron Rankin
Arvind Shah
Regan Smith
Sharon Solomon
Linda Stroud
Rosa Leigh & Michael Sullivan
Margret Suzy Seibert
Betty Tabisz
Michelle Taplar
Robert Tazioli
Erica Aeed TeKampe
Steve Thomas
Linda Thompson
Ann & Thomas Timmer
Denise & Victor Trastek
Janis Villalpando
Randy Weiss
Roxann Whitney
Ilkalelia Williams
$100 TO $249
Ellen & Gregory Allare
Frances Atkinson
Wendy & Steve Bader
Jean Banovich
Carol Bemis
Barbara & Michael Berman
Bill Blaney
Darlene Boles
Sharon & Louis Borde
Carolyn Briestensky
Tracy Bullock
Alicia & Scott Campbell
Joan Campbell
Mary & Donald Carlson
Carole Carpenter
Lauren Michelle Casillas
Susan Chapman
Barbara Choy
Mary & Robert Cloonan
Barry Cook
Marge Cook Dixon
Robbin Coulon
Luis Cruz
Dale Cunningham
Laura Currier
Elizabeth & Timothy Dalbec
Sydney Davis
Pamela & Patrick Devaleria
Lidia Dickinson
Don Eginton
Pamela & Craig Eisenberg
Family Trust
Nancy Ernst
Marci & Wilford
Farnsworth Trust
Individual Donors CONTINUED
$100 TO $249
Jerome Feuer
Nancy & Greg Fisher
Marilyn Flaherty
Martha & David Fogler
Deborah Frazelle
Gerald Gaffaney
Virginia Ginter
Miriam & Christopher Hahn
Susan & Lawrence Harris
Patrick Hazelton
Tania Hernandez
Ruanne Hobalca
Anna Isaacson
Rhonda Jobe
Melissa Johnson
Dana & Thomas Jones
Kristine & Bradford Jubin
Marcia Juszkiewicz
Emily & Alexander Kalinowski
John Keenan
Karen Keith
Patricia Kigin
Paula & David Kirby
Sharon & Leonard Klay
Cathy Knapp
Joseph Kraucunas
Ellen & Robert Leonard
Sara & Salvatore Lettieri
Tamalyn Lewis
Kathryn Lindahl
C.J. & T. J. Little
Marion Lowry
Nadia Lozano
Holly & Jim Macchiaroli
Laura Macias
Kelley & Payson Macwilliam
Shelli Maggio
Kristine & Timothy Malcolm
Mary & David Maring
Cherise Matilla
Kathleen & Steven McClain
Lori McClelland
Janette & Timothy McGillicuddy
Kimberley & Jeffery McQueen
Marco Mendoza
Michele Michaels
Lynn & Charles Mickelson
Janene Miller
Patty Miller
Terry Mills
Helena Mooney
Lisette & William Murney
Mary Murphy-Bessler
Dolores Nolan
Patricia & Paul Oleson
Mary & Don Opila Family Trust
Allie Peckham
Mary Christine & Jere Planck
Jeff Reid
Karen Richards
Patricia Rife
Luane Rosen
Gwen & Ronald Russo
Georgia F. Saladino
Deborah & Michael Sandhop
Revocable Living Trust
Ann Savage Brown
Pamela Scala
Alan Schafer
Debora Schwartz
Elizabeth Scully Sass
Phil Seeger
Gulab Shah
Pegg & Richard Shepherd
Regina Shore
Deena Sigel
Darlene & David Smith
David Snively
Maria Solis
Lynne & Volker Sonntag
Laura St. John
Larry Thompson
Theresa Thornburgh
Leslie Thornton
Janet Travis
Silvia Urrutia
Janee Valerio
Laureen & Frank Verderame
Trinh Mai Vu
Jereldine Wade
Bridget Wahl
Nancy & Richard Whalen
Michelle Wilkie
Darla & David Wisinger
Mary Wood
UP TO $100
Julie Arnold
Michael Ashton
Quintin Baeuerle
Maira Banuelos
Margaret & William Bracken
Lynn & John Bradway
Karon Cada
Frances Castellana
Caroline Cateil
Laurie Closset
Kathleen & Jeffrey Cohn
Sarah Courchaine
Aaron Cox
Kristin & John Dewulf
Lynn & Gregory Donahue
Heidi Donniaquo
Cheryl & Thomas Fencl
Yvette Figueroa
Susan Fischer
Deena Galante
Debbie Garrison
Melissa Garza
Alfredo Gonzalez
Dara Hamilton
Angelica Haro
Diana Harris
Kathy Hill
Mary L. Laffin
Kara Largent
Dennis Lilleberg
Jill Longbottom
Marlene & Michael Lorraine
Carlos Machado
Leslie Martinez
Eleanor Mayweather
Robert McGarey
Maureen McGuire
Kathleen McKenzie
Grecia Adi Arce Mendivil
Meghan Monzalvo
Donna Muse
Derek Oetken
Maria Olga Palacios-Altares
Yessica Payan Valenzuela
Nicole Pezzella
Sally & Michael Pickard
Teresa Recker
Liana & Marshall Reynolds
Bryan Riley
Larenda Roberts
Leslie & Jerome Roberts
Biljana Rodich
Mona & Michael Smith
Gena & David Stoll
Janet Story
Tom Taknan
Taylor Terhune
Heidi & James Todd
Alice Torico
Lesley Torres Quintana
Natalie & Dirk Vandeventer
Wyman Wong
Paty Zurita
Boards and Councils
As a private non-profit, the Area Agency on Aging, Region One is led by a President & CEO, and governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. A dedicated volunteer Advisory Council oversees the Area Plan and provides critical input to programs and services.
The DOVES ® Board oversees DOVES Inc., a separate non-profit of the Agency.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Karen Vanaskie Chair
Luis Cruz Vice-Chair
Peggy Bilsten Secretary
Tobias Pierce Treasurer
Mary Lynn Kasunic President & CEO
Jeannine Berg
Henry Blanco
Elton Bordenave
Harry Garewal
Cyndy Gaughan
Angelia Hill
Kathy Jefferson
Melissa Johnson
Erica Lee
Barbara Micheletti
Frank Migali
Debora Norris
Allie Peckham
Johannah Uriri-Glover
Julia Wallace
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Roberta Phin Chair
Lupe Solis Vice-Chair
Nancy Bivins
Marge Cook-Dixon
Katherine Emery
Lindy Garewal
John McGarey
Theatis McKissack
Arky Muscato
Jody Pelusi
Luz Sarmina
Ava Stanford
DOVES ®
Melissa Flint Chair
Donna Wirtel Vice-Chair
Sarah Gallimore
Secretary/Treasurer
Ryan House
Mary Lynn Kasunic
President & CEO
John Norris
Stacey Gandy
50th Anniversary Sponsors
GOLD SPONSORS
Nothing But Net
Renco Roofing
Staffing First
SILVER SPONSORS
Mercy Care
BRONZE SPONSORS
Claris Healthcare GBS
J.P. Morgan
The Mahoney Group Trualta
White House Design Studio
COPPER SPONSORS
Harry Garewal
Cyndy Gaughan
Nick Gionet
Grand Avenue Produce
Dustin Haynes
Melissa Johnson
Mary Lynn Kasunic
Daniel D. Maynard
Manolo Nicdao
Allie Peckham
Richie Rogers
Cindy Saverino
Karen Vanaskie