Desert Financial donates $ 800,000 to Phoenix Children’s Hospital

When 15 educators started the credit union in 1939, they probably never thought their work would lead to the full funding of 1 Darn Cool School at Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH), the local beneficiary of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

As a tribute to their founding teacher, Desert Financial, Arizona The largest credit union has funded numerous organizations that support education. In 2020, the credit union began an ambitious promise to long-term partner PCH with a multi-year, three million dollars Pledge to support 1 Darn Cool School.

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“Agility and adapting to change were important in 2020,” he said Steve Buckle, Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer at the Phoenix Hospital Foundation. “But we are grateful that one thing has remained unchanged – the love, care and continuous support of our partners at Desert Financial. In a year like no other, they continued to fight to ensure that our children give them everything they deserve. “

In 2020, the 1 Darn Cool School cared for 4,800 patients and families. With nine certified masters-level teachers, the team works with local school districts to help students keep up with academics as they heal. Homework, teachers often say, means hope and gives them a sense of normalcy.

In 2020, in addition to continuous services while teachers continued to work with patients, 1 Darn Cool School achieved:

• Educating bedside patients who can cope with critical illnesses and lengthy hospital stays

• Guiding patients through schooling, college scouting, disability services, GED, and career research

• Developed videos on re-entry into school

• Patients receiving dialysis treatment

• Worked with schools to develop learning plans, IEPs, homebound lessons, and 504 plans

Victor QuijanoA grateful patient at Phoenix Children’s said, “Thank you to Desert Financial for all you are doing to support patients like me and for all you are doing for this 1 Darn School. School has helped me get through my academic year to the fullest and beyond. “

The gift is the first installment of the perennial, $ 3 million promise to bring $ 10 million total gifts to the hospital. During the virtual check delivery, Desert Financial’s Jeff Meshey, President and CEO and Executive Vice President, Ron Amstutzspoke about how the community-focused credit union values ​​the partnership with Phoenix Children’s.

“The challenges of the past year have shown that our values ​​are not just words,” said Amstutz. “What matters is the community and the people we support.”

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