SAFFORD — Desert Cat Rescue and Sanctuary, Safford Downtown Association and Safford School District were the big winners in the latest round of grant funding from United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties.
On Monday, the local United Way released the list of 22 recipients in the second grant cycle of 2024.
“Of course, we always want to be sure to thank our donors from Freeport, from the City of Safford, (and) all the private donors,” said Denise Benton, United Way executive director. “We’re actually starting an employee giving program with Graham County. We’ll be doing that later this month, so we’re very excited about that (and) very appreciative of that.”
In the category of Health, Desert Cat Rescue received $199,117 for its ongoing operations and programs; Safford Downtown Association is getting $180,000 to finish the restoration of the historic Safford Theatre under the category of Economic Stability; and in Education, Dorothy Stinson School is getting $174,950 for new playground equipment.
Other recipients include:
- Education
- University of Arizona Graham Extension — $109,746 for REC Center phase 2
- Safford City Graham County Library — $43,314.41 for Informal learning to future success
- Safford Middle School — $16,511 for WEB program
- Gila Valley Arts Council — $10,000 for Gila Valley Sounds
- Pima High School Spiritline — $9,355.87 for cheerleading mats
- Graham County Sheriff’s Department — $8,072 for Alice Training equipment
- CHAP Ministries — $5,000 for Back-to-School backpacks
- Matheson Music Foundation — $5,000 for summer music camps
- Thatcher PTO — $5,000 for Thatcher Middle School choir risers
- Safford High School Choir — $4,962.99 for men’s concert attire
- Pima High School — $4,732.98 for whiteboard tables and chairs
- Duncan Unified Schools — $4,609.93 for K-5 math materials
- Pima High School Band — $3,974 for chimes
- Health
- MGRMC Foundation — $140,400.67 for electronic fetal monitoring system
- Graham County Junior Livestock Auction Committee — $39,096 for eastside concrete project in the Graham County Fairgrounds AG Building
- Families Fighting Cancer Together — $97,355 for ongoing assistance program
- Fort Thomas Elementary School — $1,385 for lockdown kits
- Fairbanks Middle School — $2,172.99 for hearing screening equipment St. Vincent de Paul — $5,000 for summer food cards for homeless children
- Sponsorship
- EAC Foundation — $4,998 for the SBDC Young Entrepreneur Enterprise Training event
Benton also announced the United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties has moved to a new location, on U.S. Highway 70 across from the Graham County Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center. A grand opening and ribbon-cutting has not yet been scheduled.
