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Cancelations push nonpro�its to brink BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer
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p to 100 guests were expected to dine among the Mexican gray wolves living at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center on April 5. The usually sold-out event called Dinner with Wolves was the wildlife rescue nonpro�it’s sole means of raising the money to help them continue to care for the wolves at its northern Scottsdale facility. “We participate in the Species Survival Plan or the SSP for Mexican gray wolves by caring for currently 15 wolves. We receive no funding for these efforts,” said Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center events and volunteer coordinator Robin Wilson. “This event will help pay for their daily needs, in the areas of food, medical care, and support staff.” But following Governor Doug Ducey’s recommendation of canceling events of 50 or more people, Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center has canceled the dinner, as well as its speaker series event, Wildlife in an Urban Environment. Over the past two years, the Dinner with Wolves event has raised more than $55,000, according to Ann Siner, event co-organizer and CEO and founder of Eco-Chic Consignments, Inc. “Southwest Wildlife would feel the loss of this event, that is for sure,” Wilson said prior to the cancelation of the dinner. “We received no funding for the daily care and medical needs of the wolves under our care. This event helps alleviate some of the costs of caring for the wolves,” she said. “Without this event, we will have to �ind other sources of funding to help in their care.” Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center is one of many Scottsdale-area nonprofits in need of the community’s help more than ever. And one way the community can give is through Arizona Gives Day, a 24-hour statewide online fundraising event April 7.
Linda Searles, executive director of Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, spoke at last year’s Dinner with Wolves. (Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center)
This year Arizona Gives Day gave donors the opportunity to make donations as early as March 17. In addition to reopening registration for this year’s event for nonpro�it organizations, giving them until March 27 to register, AZ Gives Day also created a special Emergency Relief Fund to assist nonpro�its having to cancel critical fundraising events amid Covid-19 health concerns. “Our local nonpro�it community is already reporting signi�icant losses, decreases in staff and volunteer capacity and will likely see an increase in demand for services,” said Alliance of Arizona Nonpro�its CEO Kristen Merri�ield, adding: “All Emergency Relief Fund donations will be distributed evenly among all Arizona Gives participating organizations.” On the Arizona Gives Day website, the public can also create their own fundraising page for nonpro�its. Nearly 780 Arizona nonpro�its so far have registered and have been certi�ied in this year’s Arizona Gives Day. “The beauty of Arizona Gives Day is it shows what is possible when we all invest our time, talents, and treasures to truly lift the tide of all nonpro�its participating,” Mer-
Kris Wheaton, left, Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center volunteer, and animal care manager Kim Carr enjoyed the 2019 Dinner with Wolves. (Southwest Wildlife
Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center Volunteers Diane Vaszily, left, and Tara Lamar were among the Dinner with Wolves attendees. (Southwest Wildlife
Conservation Center)
Conservation Center)
ri�ield said. “We want to make giving as easy as possible.” According to Scottsdale Community Partners Executive Director Jenny Adams, this year’s Arizona Gives Day is “even more critical” for the nonpro�it organization. SCP assists youth, families and seniors facing personal crises. Adams said they are likely to see an increased demand for their food bank services as well as rental and utility assistance “as members of the community are forced out of employment due to business temporarily closing or even permanently closing.” “We are part of the safety net people will turn to and as such, it is critical we continue to raise money. AZ Gives Day is central to this mission,” Adams said. SCP has had to, so far, cancel several upcoming meetings and look for alternatives for others, like conference calling. Adams added they are also developing a plan for future events, should they need to continue to operate on a smaller scale. SCP will use the money raised via Arizona Gives Day to fund all of their critical-needs programs such as rental and utility assistance, their food bank, and their weekly food supplementation programs, Healthy
Packs for kids and Brown Bag for seniors. “Our most pressing need is for monetary funding,” Adams said. “Our dollars go much further than the average consumer because of our buying power.” Arizona Gives Day helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonpro�its play in our communities, the press release states. Since 2013, Arizona Gives Day has raised $17 million for Arizona nonpro�its. Last year alone, Arizona Gives Day raised a record-breaking $3.6 million. In addition to funds raised through donations, nonpro�its can win additional prize money from a $180,000 prize pool. “These next few weeks and months will be critical to all Scottsdale residents, but especially to those facing an uncertain �inancial future,” Adams said. “We will be working every day to help those affected and we hope citizens who are able will join us in the �ight. The Scottsdale community has always come through and I am certain we can count on them this time as well.” Information: southwestwildlife. org, azgives.org, scottsdalecommunitypartners.org