The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA) and The David and Lura Lovell Foundation announced their alliance to award almost $3 million to Arizona nonprofits to cooperatively address issues related to the awareness, understanding, and availability of end-of-life care, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities. This vision is shared by all the participating nonprofits, many of whom have worked together for years as part of the End-of-Life Care Partnership with the ELDER Alliance. This innovative community-wide collaboration is one of the largest end-of-life care initiatives in the nation.
“We believe in the power of nonprofit and funding organizations working together to address issues collaboratively,” said Clint Mabie, CFSA President and CEO. “We are honored to steward Shaaron Kent’s legacy to the community. Her endowment fund at CFSA allows us to award these multi-year grants that will help grow a ‘change network’ by supporting and empowering organizations that are addressing hospice care issues and the universal experiences of death, dying and grieving.”
The Lovell Foundation awarded a total of $2,507,619 for end-of-life care and planning projects. CFSA grants total $390,000. Grants range from $20,000 to $1 million to support end-of-life care programs that engage the community, educate professionals and patients, institute organizational and community standards of practice, develop the healthcare workforce and impact public policy. This year’s grants were awarded to the following organizations:
• Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association
• United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona – Coordinator for the ELDER Alliance
• Interfaith Community Services
• Tucson Medical Center Foundation
• Tu Nidito Children and Family Services
• The Tohono O’odham Nursing Care Authority
• The University of Arizona Center on Aging
“Our collective goal is to fundamentally change the narrative on how we plan for, care for and experience death and dying in Southern Arizona and beyond,” said John Amoroso, executive director of the Lovell Foundation. “Ultimately we all – individuals, families, caregivers, health systems and communities – bear the responsibility for changing the status quo by helping each other to engage in compassionate, honest conversations about our mortality, the type of healthcare we wish to receive and how it is given across the spectrum of life choices.”
When Shaaron Kent designated in her will that a part of her estate be allocated to hospice programs, a group of volunteers with interest and expertise in end-of-life issues were assembled to help her carry out her wishes. Since 2012, CFSA has granted more than $850,000 from the Shaaron Kent Endowment Fund for education on end-of-life issues and programs. CFSA will continue to expand the awareness, understanding, and availability of end-of-life care, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities.
“This is an inspiring and unique time for our community,” stated Sandra Nathan, VP of Community Investment at CFSA. “This in-depth collaboration and resulting synergies have tremendous potential to improve the quality of lives in Southern Arizona and beyond.”
The Lovell Foundation shared this interest in end-of-life care and previously funded “Passing On,” an award-winning documentary produced by Arizona Public Media and broadcast nationally by PBS, and other projects. “We did a community-wide scan on end-of-life issues. We discovered this group of dedicated organizations and individuals that had been working together with support from CFSA funding. That kind of energy and potential emboldened the Lovell Foundation to expand our commitment to end-of-life care and make an even bigger investment,” said Ann Lovell, president of the family foundation and daughter of its founders.
Bonnie Kampa is a member of the Lovell Foundation board of advisors and the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona End of Life Committee. She said, “This amazing partnership of organizations and this significant funding over the next three years will put Southern Arizona – and all of Arizona – on the map as a national model and leader in the field. This vision to apply resources in this field is a great credit to both foundations’ trustees and leadership.”
