The PDS Big Hearts Philanthropic Board is committed to creating a better world through human kindness.
We do this by focusing on charities which help create a positive outcome for individuals or families in need.
2021 Fundraisers-
And we are back in 2021! We started off the year by volunteering at St. Mary’s Food Bank, packing food boxes. What a great feeling!
We kicked off our fundraising for 2021 with a silent auction and virtual bingo to raise $1,485 to donate to West Valley Food Bank, which was generously matched by PDS.
We followed that with our fourth summer of helping with Code Red through the Phoenix Rescue Mission. Our vendors and even a Board of Directors for one of our associations really stepped up and made substantial donations. Between that and our own PDS family, we raised $992! Phoenix Rescue Mission is matching our donation to total $1,984 donated to Code Red to help the homeless survive this brutal summer.
Starting July 1, we will be raising money and purchasing school supplies for a local organization, Arizona Helping Hands. They provide backpacks filled with school supplies, giving children in foster care the tools they need to succeed, giving them the opportunity to fit in, have a fresh start and create confidence. If you would like to help this wonderful cause, you can donate supplies, cash, or even shop on their Amazon Wish List at azhelpinghands.org/wishlist
2020 Fundraisers Summary-
2020 was a hard year but we did not let that slow us down!
In February we raised $640 for one of our own that we lost.
In March we collected over 30 dresses along with shoes, purses and jewelry for the Cinderella Affair. We also donated $312 in cash. The Cinderella Affair provides high school junior and seniors new and gently-used formal wear absolutely FREE, helping make prom an affordable and memorable event!
In August Big Hearts and PDS made a $5,000 donation to Lump Busters Charity in memory and honor of Dee Dee Evans.
To end the year, we donated $7,400 between September and November to Valley View Community Food Bank and St. Mary’s Food Bank.
2019 Fundraisers Summary-
2019 was a big year for the PDS Big Hearts. As our third year came to a close, we look back at the wonderful opportunities we were provided to give back.
In April, we showed our support to Lump Busters and donated $700 to their annual BBQ Fundraiser.
This summer, we supported The Phoenix Rescue Mission for the third year in a row. We raised a whopping $1,400 in cash and 87 cases of water. When we donated the cash, Phoenix Rescue Mission matched all cash donations, bringing that total to $2,800. Think of how many people we helped with that!
In October, we once again partnered with Lump Busters, A local cancer support organization. Lump Busters is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, which funds for the research, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer and brain related illnesses. This organization was instrumental in helping some of our own PDS family members cover medical bills and necessary procedure costs in their own fight against cancer. We Raised $5,080 this year from bingos, cash donations, and our big one, our 4th Annual Poker Tournament. That is $1,500 more than last year!
We ended 2019 with a reverse advent calendar to bring one item of food every day for the 25 days of December. We sent 20 boxes of food to the Phoenix Rescue Mission.
2018 Lump Busters Cancer Fundraiser
The PDS Big Hearts Double D’s Rack Pack is back and we are making a big change to our Fight Against Cancer Campaign.
The original PDS Double D’s Rack Pack grew out of support for 2 of our PDS Family Members who fought breast cancer and became survivors. The Rack Pack was a strong supporter of the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure. In recent years our PDS Family has suffered losses to many types of cancer. Our intention now is to support those fighting ALL types of cancer.
Planned Development Services Big Hearts is partnering with a local charity, “Lumpbusters”.
Lump Busters has donated to Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the National Brain Tumor Society and the Komen 3 Day for the Cure. Lump Busters has also supported PDS family members with hospital bills and chemo treatment co-payments. Lump Busters’ funding is primarily from volunteers working concession stands during the AZ Cardinals season home games. They receive 100% of the profits after the cost of supplies for each game. They can be found at Section 136 and Section 422.
The PDS Big Hearts board voted to donate all of our annual Cancer Campaign funds raised to Lump Busters so they can continue to aide those in need. Lump Busters is a local, 501c3 non-profit charity organization.
Please consider helping us support this cause! Donations can be made in person, by mail, or we have set up a PayPal account to accept donations online for convenience. Don’t miss some of the great baskets we will be raffling off! You can purchase your raffle tickets here in the office.
Thank you for your continued support!
2018 Code Red Summer Heat Relief Program
Once again, The PDS Big Hearts are partnering with The Phoenix Rescue Mission for the Code Red Heat Relief Program. Your support is urgently needed so that men; women and children are able to survive the blistering summer heat. During Code Red months; May through September, life on the streets escalates quickly from unbearable to deadly. In Arizona, on average 118 people die each year from excessive heat. Sadly, 95% of these deaths occur between the hottest Arizona months.
Phoenix Rescue Mission drives the city streets in Hope Coaches, distributing bottles of water and Hope Totes to the homeless people in Maricopa County. A Hope Tote consists of a gallon size ziplock bag containing hygiene products, sunscreen, a new pair of socks and a white T-shirt. The PDS Big Hearts will be accepting donations of bottled water in our office and Hope Tote items from May 15th through June 29th. You may also make a cash donation online at the top of this page!
Thank you in advance for your support with our Big Hearts Code Red project and helping those in need this summer.
Hope Tote Items:–all small travel size
Dear BIG HEARTS, For them, summer marks the beginning of a dangerous season. Even a deadly one. They struggle to survive on the scorching streets of our city. But thanks to you, they’re getting shelter from the sun’s devastating rays. They’re enjoying cold drinking water and heat relief supplies to help regain their strength. None of this would be possible without your kind gift of $ 1,400.00 to Phoenix Rescue Mission. Thank you so much for making it! Because you took advantage of a special Matching Grant, your gift doubled to help twice as many neighbors beat the summer heat. God bless you for all you do! Jay A. Cory
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Eyeglass Recycling = Respectacles
Donate glasses and change someone’s life. Imagine if you could help a child read, an adult succeed in his job, a senior maintain her independence and provide a community with more opportunities to grow and thrive.
Every day, recycled eyeglass programs do all of this and more.
Planned Development Services has a receptacle for spectacles in our lobby.
Please donate any eye glasses you are no longer using.
Thank you!
2017 Fundraisers Summary-
May – Phoenix Rescue Mission – Operation Code Red: Heat Relief Program
July – Back to School for needy children at Imagine Rosefield Elementary
September-October – Lump Busters cancer fundraiser
December – Toy Tree Drive for the Voices for CASA Children
This has been a very exciting year for PDS with the establishment of the Big Hearts Philanthropic Board.
In years past PDS has always believed in “Giving Back” and “Making a Difference” as seen in our annual Komen Walk for the Cure fundraiser. This vision has grown, we wanted to do more.
The PDS Philanthropic Board is committed to creating a better world through human kindness. We do this by focusing on charities which help create a positive outcome for individuals or families in need.
In May of this year we partnered with The Phoenix Rescue Mission for Operation Code Red: Heat Relief Program. The Phoenix Rescue Mission van goes out into the community taking bottles of water to the homeless living on the streets of Maricopa County. PDS Big Hearts family, friends and vendors were able to collect over 30,000 bottles of water in 90 days.
July brought an awareness of children getting ready for school and the need for school backpacks and basic school supplies. On July 1st we launched a Backpack/ School Supplies drive for the benefit of needy children at Imagine Rosefield Elementary School in Surprise Az. In less than 30 days we were able to collect backpacks and other necessary supplies for these children and deliver them before the first day of school. Paula Conrad and Dixie Melonis met with Toni Clifton , the schools Life Skills Coach. Toni has a “supply room” where she keeps donations to be distributed to those in need. She knew right away some of the students that would benefit from this generous gift. Her generosity in helping others coincides with the PDS Big Hearts mission to “Support the needs of our community”.
With the cancellation of the Komen Walk for the Cure this year, PDS Big Hearts raised funds for a local cancer support organization called Lump Busters. Lump Busters is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, which raises funds for the research, diagnosis and treatment of cancer and brain related illnesses. This organization was instrumental in helping some of our own PDS family members cover medical bills and necessary procedure costs. We said “thank you “by raising $4,000 from bingo at lunch to football pools and raffling baskets from Labor Day to Halloween.
We ended 2017 by sponsoring a Toy Tree Drive for the Voices for CASA Children. The Voices for CASA Children is a local nonprofit organization that seeks to give a voice to every child in Maricopa County’s foster care system. We displayed a Toy Tree in our lobby from November 1st to December 8th. Each tag was dedicated to a specific age group with an appropriate gift suggestion. The Big Hearts board decided to collect for the 7 to 11 year old children and the 12 to 18 year old groups. With our participation The PDS Big Hearts family, friends and vendors were able to donate over $1,000 in gift cards and over $500 in toys.
In 2018 the PDS Philanthropic Board will continue to “Make a Difference in Our Community”.
Stay tuned…
