SAFFORD — On Monday, the United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties announced its grant recipients for October, with seven events receiving sponsorship funding.
Receiving $5,000 each is the Clifton Social Club for the annual Festival of Lights, Eastern Arizona College for the annual Holiday Basketball Tournaments, Nathaniel’s Childhood Cancer Foundation for the annual Spooktacular event and Safford High School for the Homecoming concert and education hour.
United Way funded $4,145 for sponsorship of the Eastern Arizona Hispanic Heritage Corporation’s Dia de los Muertos Car Show, $3,500 to the Graham County Substance Abuse Coalition for the Holiday Safe Driving Campaign and $2,000 for Double R Communication’s Elementary School Food Drive that benefits Our Neighbor’s Farm and Pantry.
In the regular monthly grant cycle, United Way focused on health and education. Grant recipients include:
Health
- Gila Valley Disc Golf Club — Tee signs: $4,0336.16
- Gila Valley Samaritan Home — Non-perishable Thanksgiving food boxes: $3,958.05
Education
- Metcalf Elementary School — Math manipulatives and storage: $3,117.95
- Fort Thomas Unified School District — Whiteboard tables: $966
- Dorothy Stinson Elementary School — Sixth grade art materials: $836.23
United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties has set a record this year in the amount of funding it has granted organizations this year, at $5.1 million through Cycle 3, with 19 more applicants to be reviewed in Cycle 4.
“The 19 that are being moved forward meet all of our criteria for a good grant application. So it meets a focus area, it has all the parts that are required to move forward,” said Amanda Patterson, United Way Grant manager. “What goes now is they’ll be reviewed to see if there are any empty holes; any questions that need to be answered.”
The funding decisions for Cycle 4 will be announced after the Nov. 15 United Way Board meeting.
The United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties makes grants to nonprofit, educational and governmental organizations thanks to donations from Freeport-McMoRan and Freeport employees; employees of the City of Safford, Town of Thatcher and Graham County; and individual donors.
