On Thursday, December 3rd 2015, Child & Family Resources honored City of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton with a Martha K. Rothman Lifetime Achievement Award for his work over many years advancing the causes of children and families in Arizona.
Held at the University Club in Phoenix, Champions for Children & Families brought together nearly 100 guests, including Valley leaders in business and education such as Jack Lunsford, former CEO of Westmarc, Dr. Don Covey, Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools, and Bill Symonds of ASU’s Global Pathway’s Institute. Nicole Crites, News Anchor for KTTV AZ Family emceed the event.
Named after the founder of Child & Family Resources, the Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes those in our community who have spent a substantial part of their working life helping to improve the lives of children and families in need via quality education, family support programs, and special initiatives.
“I believe that investing in children and families – connecting our youth to educational opportunities and hands-on cultural experiences – makes Phoenix stronger,” said Mayor Stanton. “Our long-term community and economic success depends on the steps we are taking together right now, so I’m proud to work with Child & Family Resources and applaud all that they do for our families.”
Mayor Stanton has led several key family-friendly efforts including the Great Starts program, assuring nearly 2,000 Phoenix preschoolers in Title I Districts and their families have free access to some of Phoenix’s best cultural experiences, as well as the Read on Phoenix and AARP Experience Corps programs which leverage existing city and community resources to ensure early education success for our youngest students. Mayor Stanton has also reached out beyond Phoenix city boundaries to form the Mayor’s Education Roundtable, working with other Mayors across Arizona on education issues including early childhood, with a particular emphasis on ensuring that children are reading by third grade.
Also honored with a Giving Heart Award was Carmella Dodge, Co-Founder of Savory Fare Dining Experiences. Dodge, along with her husband Michael, has been an active volunteer with Child & Family Resources and its Maricopa Center for Adolescent Parents (MCAP) program in particular. Dodge has hosted countless fundraisers for the program and has led numerous cooking classes for MCAP students, teaching them how to create, prepare, and serve healthy meals.
This year’s Champions for Children & Families Dinner was sponsored by APS, First Citizen’s Bank, Cenpatico Schools, Whole Foods, Babbo Italian Grill, Rolf’s Salon, and Wolz Florists.
