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Nonprofits look to ‘Giving Week’ for help

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer S cottsdale nonprofit Family Promise of Greater Phoenix heavily relies on more than 100 volunteers who care for homeless families by making them meals and offering them space to sleep. But in the wake of social-distancing guidelines, the nonprofit has ceased standard operations and taken all operations in-house, putting a tremendous strain on their staff.

“What took an average of 105 congregational volunteers each week to care for these families, we’re now doing with 10 full-time employees,” said Ted Taylor, Family Promise of Greater Phoenix executive director. “We are currently housing 13 families at our day center in south Scottsdale and we are ordering meals from restaurants to feed the families.” Family Promise is just one of many nonprofits tremendously impacted by the coronavirus, whether it be limited resources or financial resources.

An Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits survey of nonprofit organizations statewide showed that nearly 90 percent of the 364 respondents have been or expect to be significantly impacted by the spread of the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

As of March 20, the total reported loss of revenue was nearly $30 million.

Of those organizations impacted, more than 83 percent reported decreased revenue from canceled events and 54 percent indicated a disruption of services to clients and communities.

“It’s incredibly difficult to watch this happening and we’re certainly much too early in the process to even try to deterEaster display sheds light in a dark time Foothills Animal Rescue staff member Natalie Sopa is seen here scratching Harley’s belly. This year, Foothills Animal Rescue will use the money raised from Arizona Gives Day on shelter operations. (Foothills Animal Rescue)

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BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

Southern Scottsdale resident Chris Birkett was hesitant to put up his Easter lights display this year. He explained that he was afraid his neighbors would think it was insensitive to the coronavirus pandemic – “like, ‘Oh, you’re just ignoring what is going on?’”

“But then I hear that voice in my head,” Birkett added. “’Build it and they will come.’”

And he did just that, Birkett completed his Easter lights display on March 21 and will keep them up until April 15.

“I realize when they come this year it's going to mean more than ever to each and every single one of these human beings and that this is why I was brought here,”

Birkett said. “I realized really quickly how important what I do was – ‘enlightening’ people’s lives.”

In addition to 2,400 lights, the display has plenty of extra-large, custom-made Easter props and outdoor decor, including an inflatable train Birkett calls the Easter Egg Express.

“I have a couple of vintage Easter eggs that haven’t sold for years. It’s from the ‘40s and ‘50s range, maybe as late as the ‘60s. Anybody who’s a vintage fan will remember these things,” he said.

Birkett began creating extravagant light displays when he was 11 and nearly 35 years later, nothing will stop him from creating these displays for his community – not even the pandemic.

“People are like, ‘I don’t understand why

mine an overall dollar impact, but we do know that organizations reporting revenue impact expect to lose an average of 31 percent of their revenue with reported ranges up to $10 million,” said Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits CEO Kristen Merrifield.

Family Promise had to postpone its annual fundraising luncheon originally scheduled to take place early April.

During the event, Taylor said, hundreds of the nonprofit’s strongest supporters gather to review the previous year’s successes, discuss their plans for the future and raise money.

“We have, like many other nonprofits, had to cope without that expected cash injection,” Taylor said.

Family Promise also started ordering meals from restaurants to feed their families, an estimated cost of more than $500 per night – or $15,000 per month.

“We don’t have the financial resources to cover this shortfall, yet we will not step away from our promise,” Taylor said.

Farther north, Foothills Animal Rescue (FAR) closed their Brynne Smith Memorial Campus and both Resale Boutique locations to the public on March 17.

FAR’s Resale Boutiques are their primary revenue stream, and, according to FAR Chief Engagement Officer Melissa Gable, they lose about $10,000 each week they remain closed.

FAR now conducts adoptions by appointment.

“That will have a big impact in the coming months,” Gable said. “On the other hand, we understand many of our donors

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you do what you do. Why spend all that time and all that effort and the money?’ The easiest way I can say it is the real world sucks,” he said with a laugh.

“I’m trying to [offer] escape for just a moment in time from reality, so everything disappears,” Birkett added.

Birkett’s light displays have caught the attention of people nationwide thanks to winning ABC’s “Great Christmas Light Fight” in 2017.

His spooky, over-the-top haunted houses have also gained immense popularity over the years, too.

“It started with Halloween, then it was Christmas. And then along the way, when

Ted Taylor, Family Promise of Greater Phoenix Executive Director said that the Scottsdale-based nonprofi t had to postpone its annual fundraising luncheon. (Family Promise of Greater Phoenix)

are impacted by COVID-19 and the current state of the economy. It’s going to be a tough year for many nonprofit organizations.”

In addition to canceling upcoming adoptions, community events, and volunteer orientations, the nonprofit indefinitely postponed one of their largest fundraising events, Paws to Celebrate, which was originally scheduled to take place March 21.

“While this decision will have a financial impact on our agency, the health of our customers, volunteers and staff remains our top priority,” Gable said.

One way the public is able to help support nonprofits at this time is through Arizona Gives Day, an online fundraising campaign that’s currently open through April 7.

New to this year’s Arizona Gives Day is the Emergency Relief Fund, which gives donor the option to increase donations as an add-on at check out or through direct donations.

All funds will be distributed equally among participating nonprofits.

FAR was a participating nonprofit last year, too.

“Last year, we directed most of our Arizona Gives Day donations to our Shelter Pet Medical Fund. However, this year, we will be focused on funds going directly to our shelter operations as a result of the impact that COVID-19 has had on our agency,” Gable said. Arizona Gives Day comes at a crucial time for Desert Stages Theatre as well, said Executive Director Ellen Versen.

The nonprofit performing arts theatre, located inside Scottsdale Fashion Square, postponed its spring shows.

“The saddest thing about having to postpone shows at Desert Stages Theatre was breaking the news to students who had already begun rehearsals for the upcoming productions of ‘Disney’s High School Musical’ and ‘A Chorus Line.’ The enthusiasm and excitement that surrounds a cast of young people putting on a show together is part of the magic of live theatre,” she said.

Taylor said the public can help Family Promise by making monetary donations on their website. The money will help feed their families.

The public can also purchase items from their Amazon Wish List. Items include diapers, towels, pet food, sheets, soap, and gloves.

“Our objective is to rescue families quickly before the devastating effects of homelessness create a downward spiral of poverty, reliance on shelters, accompanied by academic, health problems and ultimately foster care for the children,” Taylor said.

“If you are in a position to do so, we encourage you to support your favorite nonprofit organizations in any way you can during this uncertain time,” he added.

Family Promise’s Amazon Wish List: amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/W6UJ3HHNVV2F

Information: azgives.org, familypromiseaz.org, foothillsanimal.org, desertstages.org

I started having my own house, I was like, ‘Maybe I’ll put up a couple of Easter things, and maybe I’ll put up some Fourth of July,” Birkett said.

Four times a year, Birkett’s home is decked out with lights and larger-than-life props; his full-time job, however, is being a DJ for weddings and events.

In fact, 90 percent of his gigs are weddings, and 100 percent of them were canceled in the wake of the pandemic.

“Every single bride, for good reason, is not having her wedding. So, we’re [DJs] basically out of jobs. I mean, no matter how you look at it, we have no work,” said Birkett, who has been a professional DJ for 32 years.

Spring and fall are the two busiest times of the year for Birkett, and he’s on “summer vacation” for about 12 weeks following his busy spring season.

From late February through May, Birkett said he averages anywhere from 70 to 90 events.

“I plan for the storm, and luckily this year, I already preplanned for the storm, so that was neat. The storm just happened many weeks earlier,” he said.

Birkett estimates his Easter lights display gets about 15 to 20 visitors every hour.

“It’s interesting because you just see a mom and dad and their kids out there, and then they roll by and you could tell the kids had a great time, and then all of a sudden, 10 minutes later, you see somebody pull up in a car and checking it out,” said Birkett, who watches from his living room window to respect social distancing.

To those who plan to visit, Birkett recommends checking the lights out at night. “I’m entertaining people for free to the public because I want them to have a moment in time,” he said. “You can literally drive by in your car and look at Easter lights.”

Birkett admitted he was also hesitant to put up lights for the Fourth of July, but he said he’ll keep doing it “as long as [he] possibly can.”

“All I can do is try my best to keep this world happy in such a time of need,” he said.

Visit Birkett’s Easter lights display at 8414 E. Valley Vista Drive.