Tempe, AZ (October 7, 2020) The Arizona Lottery is providing a $25,000 Gives Back sponsorship to The Centers for Habilitation (TCH) to help ensure continued care for clients in the wake of a recent burglary and theft. Last week’s incident, reported by several local news outlets, comes at a particularly difficult time as TCH clients are returning after a six-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
TCH programs work to support and empower those who live with developmental or physical disabilities, with a main facility in Tempe, group homes in Phoenix and Tucson and career training programs (through www.AbilityOne.gov), employing individuals at ASU, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Luke Air Force Base, Fort Huachuca, and other government facilities across Arizona, helping them to develop critical life skills through meaningful career training.
But these programs are experiencing a number of unique challenges related to COVID-19, including increased needs and additional program expenses to ensure the health and safety of those served and staff, and decreased financial support for program operations. Last week’s burglary and theft left TCH without operating transport vans, work and power tools, and an expensive adaptive special needs tri-cycle and a four-seater surrey bike.
“This $25,000 Arizona Lottery Gives Back sponsorship could not have come at a better time and we could not be more appreciative,” said The Centers for Habilitation CEO Jeff Bernick. “At a time when our clients desperately need TCH services to lead fulfilling and meaningful lives, Arizona Lottery and others who have stepped up in our hour of need and have restored our collective faith in humanity.”
The Arizona Lottery Gives Back Sponsorship will allow TCH to improve their main facility in Tempe to better protect their clients, their employees and the public from COVID-19 and will help them to prevent this sort of crime in future, including:
- Replacing drinking fountains with touchless water bottle fill stations
- Purchasing a backpack sanitizing machine to clean their passenger vans used to transport clients to worksites, medical appointments, charitable volunteer opportunities and more
- Putting up Plexiglas barriers for their public-facing reception area
- Installing new security lighting, surveillance cameras and monitoring facilities
“The Arizona Lottery exists to do good in our community and we are grateful that we were in a position to support an organization like TCH that was clearly in need at this time with a Gives Back sponsorship," said Arizona Lottery Executive Director Gregg Edgar. "TCH helps some of the most vulnerable populations in Arizona live full and productive lives. Helping this amazing organization to recover is a win for our community."
TCH provides both employment development services and day programming for adults. Their Tempe facility includes space for daily social, recreational and educational opportunities to adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Employment services include vocational training as well as assistance finding a job and transportation to the job site. Finally, the Unique Boutique, also located at the Tempe facility, affords artists an opportunity to create crafts alongside support staff and then sell in the boutique, at craft fairs and in other retail settings, with all revenue raised to continue the artist's work in the Unique Boutique.
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About TCH:
At TCH, we work to ensure that the more than 23% of Arizona adults who live with developmental or physical disabilities have access to the support, care and opportunities they need to adapt, thrive and achieve their full potential. From helping adults with disabilities develop critical life skills, to guiding them through career training and related efforts that promote independence, self-determination and self-confidence, our goal is to help adults with disabilities utilize the myriad of resources available to them so they can make their own choices, improve their abilities and assume more control over their own lives. Learn more at TCH-AZ.com
