The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation awards $540,000 over two years to Art Heals Arizona. The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation Aug 06, 2026, 11:10 ET The grant will further expand outreach throughout Arizona and enhance vital programs PHOENIX, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ - Art Heals Arizona, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming children's trauma into resilience through the arts, is pleased to announce that the organization was awarded a $540,000 grant over two years from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. The grant will support statewide expansion and revitalized, enhanced programs to better help youth overcome adversity. "We are thankful for the continued partnership with The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, and for the opportunities it creates for the children we serve," said Matt Sandoval, Chief Executive Officer of Art Heals Arizona. "Every child who has experienced trauma deserves opportunities to overcome and develop not only skills for understanding and managing the feelings around those experiences, but also the chance to develop a sense of self. We believe that can be achieved through the arts." The grant will help meet the growing need for services, allowing Art Heals Arizona to apply innovative, evidence-based, and culturally focused programs such as their Weekly Mentor, Professional Artist Series, Free Arts Days, Camps Series, and Resilient Roots programs. By integrating cutting-edge therapeutic techniques with artistic expression, Art Heals Arizona aims to provide participants with the tools they need to heal from trauma and build resilience. "Renee and I have backed this organization for over a decade because we believe in what they do for kids," said Bob Parsons, Co-Founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. "Art Heals Arizona shows up for kids, week after week, giving them the tools and mentors to work through their trauma. And that makes all the difference." This grant will enable Art Heals Arizona to expand the geographic reach of its programs to new communities, increasing the average number of children served annually beyond the current estimates of more than 7,500 and deepening relationships with increased interactions. This expansion is essential to ensuring that all children in Arizona have access to the healing power of the arts, regardless of their location or background. Recent data shows the programs are making an impact. Of the children participating in Art Heals Arizona programs: 99% report feeling physically and emotionally safe, 97% felt they had the opportunity to express themselves, 96% say they built artistic and life skills and 97% felt great about themselves and what they created. "Nearly every child in these programs says they feel safe, seen and better able to express themselves. For a child who has lived through trauma, that alone can change everything," said Renee Parsons, Co-Founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. "We want to help Art Heals Arizona bring this type of healing to more children across the state." The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation has been a longtime supporter of Art Heals' mission, having granted more than $5 million to the organization with its first gift in 2012. In 2017, they granted Art Heals Arizona $2.5 million to establish The Bob & Renee Parsons Center for Hope & Healing, providing funding to purchase their building and operate two signature programs. About Art Heals Arizona Art Heals Arizona (formerly Free Arts of Arizona) was founded in 1993 and has worked to transform children's trauma to resilience through the arts. Using a trauma-informed approach in all the programs, the organization has created a safe space where participants can find peer support, empowerment and their own voice in their journey. Programs are delivered by 300 volunteer mentors and artists who serve more than 6,500 children annually through partnerships with 43 social service child welfare agencies at 100+ sites across Maricopa County and foster care families. For more information on Arts Heals Arizona, visit: www.arthealsaz.org. About the Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers support to nonprofit organizations successfully working to empower, educate, nurture and nourish people during what is often the darkest time of their lives. Founded in 2012 by philanthropists and business leaders Bob and Renee Parsons to provide hope and life-changing assistance to the country's most vulnerable populations, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers critical funding at critical times to those in need. The Foundation's giving is driven by the core belief that all people - regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity - deserve access to quality healthcare, education and a safe place to call home. Follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit TBRPF.org, to learn more about partner organizations and the important work being done in the community. Media Contact Lindsay Hansen, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, 1 4802056195, [email protected], https://tbrpf.org SOURCE The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation

Art Heals Arizona launches Creative Futures program with $150K NBA Foundation grant. BY Frontdoors Media In Phoenix, creativity is opening doors to something even bigger than self-expression; it's becoming a pathway to real careers. Thanks to a $150,000 grant from the NBA Foundation, Art Heals Arizona is launching "Creative Futures," an innovative new program designed to help young people turn their passions into possibilities. The initiative marks an exciting evolution for the organization as it expands its long-running Professional Artist Series and Camp Series into something even more impactful. With Creative Futures, the focus goes beyond art for art's sake, offering structured career exploration, mentorship, and skill-building opportunities for youth ages 14 to 24 across Phoenix. At its core, the program is about connecting creativity with confidence and talent with tangible career pathways. Through hands-on workshops led by professional artists, technical theater rotations, and mentorship experiences, 300 teens and young adults will gain exposure to a wide range of opportunities within the creative economy. From performance and visual arts to behind-the-scenes production and technical roles, participants will explore different career paths and build essential life skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. "Creative Futures reflects the kind of community-driven, career-connected programming the NBA Foundation is proud to support," said NBA Foundation Executive Director Ruth Jurgensen. "Art Heals Arizona is meeting young people where they are, using creativity as a pathway to confidence, skill-building, and real workforce opportunity. Through this investment, we're helping Phoenix youth see how their talents can translate into sustainable careers and long-term success." The program builds on more than two decades of partnership with the Herberger Theater Center, as well as on previous pilot efforts that included professional artist workshops with the Phoenix Suns dancers. Creative Futures deepens those collaborations while introducing a more structured, intentional model that helps participants envision themselves not just as artists, but as future professionals. Creative Futures will serve teens and young adults who have experienced abuse, neglect, or homelessness, including those connected to shelters, group homes, residential treatment centers, and kinship networks throughout Maricopa County. By centering young people who are system-involved or from low-income backgrounds, the initiative ensures that opportunity reaches those who need it most. "By embedding workforce development into two Art Heals Arizona programs, Creative Futures creates a sustainable pipeline that connects artistic expression with real-world opportunity," CEO Matt Sandoval said. "We're helping people see a future where their creativity can lead to meaningful careers." Support for Art Heals Arizona isn't new. The Phoenix Suns/Mercury Foundation has long championed the organization's work, helping to expand access to arts programming for youth across the Valley. With the NBA Foundation's investment, Creative Futures represents a powerful next step - one that blends creativity, community, and career readiness into a single, transformative experience. For more behind this Frontdoor, visit nbafoundation.nba.com or arthealsaz.org. Frontdoors Media Frontdoors Media celebrates the people and groups who give generously and work to build the future of its community. It's the premier source of information - and inspiration - for those who strive to make the Valley of the Sun a better place to live.