Volunteers Are The Key - Robinson Ranch
Small Charities, Large Impact
For many of the employed population in Phoenix, the work day commences at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. At the end of the day, they punch in the time clock, and have the rest of the evening to themselves until the next day begins.
For those who found and volunteer at local non-profit organizations, the time clock doesn’t exist.
Jennifer Carraway, John, Robinson, Holly Rose, and Laura Stanton are just some of the many who have dedicated their lives to helping others. A friend dying from cancer, and foster children with disabilities, spawned the desire to generate charities to give back to the community.
According to a 2016 study conducted by a personal finance company, WalletHub, U.S. donors donated more than $389 billion to charity, with 72 percent of the funds coming directly from individuals. However, from the same study, Arizona was the least charitable state in the country as far as giving.
Local non-profit charities begin with the motive to raise community awareness of the work they do, compared to nationwide non-profits that may not keep all the proceeds raised local.
Robinson Ranch, the Joy Bus Diner, and Don’t’ Be a Chump Check for a Lump are just a portion of Arizona’s organizations with the mission to increase local involvement in charity work. Neighborhood non-profits strive to engage the community to donate locally to keep funds in-state rather than distributed around the country, like with nationwide groups. Philanthropy experts believe that while Arizona may not be as charitable as other states, its volunteers keep local charity work alive.
The day begins before sunrise at Robinson Ranch for a 15-year-old Arizona high school student. She arrives with a smile and a bright attitude despite the pre dawn hour, sweeps the animals’ pens, distributes hay to the ponies, and preps and grooms the horses for the day. She is a volunteer at the ranch, but to her, the ranch is more than just community service.
Robinson Ranch is a home away from home for Laura Stanton. The non-profit horse ranch in Phoenix was founded by John Robinson and his wife Sheila. The couple were foster parents to children with both mental and physical disabilities, such as autism, Cerebral Palsy, and stroke victims.
After witnessing how the children’s behavior changed when they were exposed to their horses, the Robinson’s wanted to do the same for other children in Arizona who suffer from similar conditions.
While most high school students may race home afterschool and aim for video games, Stanton rushes to the ranch to continue her volunteer work. The headstrong teen is not only a volunteer, but a client as well.
She was diagnosed with ADHD and autism as a child and learned to rehabilitate her diagnoses through therapeutic riding at Robinson Ranch.
“I come here and see the horses and I just brighten up,” Stanton said. “I was kind of grumpy this morning because I woke up late, but I came here and saw the horses and snapped out of it right then.”
Volunteering at the ranch is a family affair for the Stanton family. Carol Stanton, Laura’s mother is the volunteer coordinator at Robinson Ranch, her father volunteers every weekend to do maintenance work, and their other daughter who has Cerebral Palsy, is a therapeutic rider client.
The Stanton family previously lived in Chandler, 45 minutes away from the ranch, but the constant trek convinced them to relocate their home to only five minutes away instead.
“You feel more welcomed and wanted here than you do in a larger charity because here they actually go towards your needs,” Laura said. “They want to benefit your needs and wants.”
Robinson Ranch is a small non-profit organization, living paycheck-to-paycheck but serves over 140 students each week. The ranch began in 2000 and plans to grow its facility, but focuses its revenue towards the horses’ healthcare and resources for clients. In 2015, the ranch raked in a revenue of $91,221 and had $98,223 in total expenses.
“The volunteers are everything,” Carol Stanton said. “If it weren’t for the volunteers, we wouldn’t have a facility.”
For smaller charities like the Joy Bus Diner, volunteers are heavily relied on in order to grow. The diner provides and delivers free, organic, oncologist-approved meals for homebound cancer patients from ages as young as eight, while its oldest patient is 90.
Jennifer Carraway, founder of the diner, grew her charity straight out of her home kitchen. After expansion, the charity is now a full-functioning diner open to the public as well. If you walk into the diner, it appears to be just like any restaurant, however, every dollar that derives from the business, goes directly into feeding the patients.
“The really awesome thing about going local for a charity is that you know exactly where those dollars are going,” Carraway said.
Carraway was always involved in the culinary industry, however, after her close friend Joy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, cooking took on a new meaning.
While Joy faced rigorous chemotherapy treatments, Carraway baked pastries and prepared meals for her friend. The eats were sometimes the only thing to bring life back into Joy while she endured her illness.
When Joy unfortunately passed away, Carraway wanted continue to help other cancer patients the way she helped Joy. She promptly quit her jobs and dedicated her entire life to create the diner.
The diner opened about a year ago, although the charity has been active since 2011. Tables, kitchen appliances, and furniture were all donated to the diner from neighborhood friends, and other local restaurants who support Carraway’s cause.
The food and produce that goes into the meals come donated from farmer Frank Martin at Crooked Sky Farms on lower Buckeye. Martin established a partnership with Carraway to provide her organization with all organic, donated resources. Some meals include avocado, chickpeas, tomatoes, and sheep’s milk feta cheese.
The volunteers and donors are what set the diner’s work apart from larger meal delivery organizations, such as Meals on Wheels.
“They are passionate and supportive people to begin with and they are going into people’s homes sitting with them for as long as they want company,” Carraway said about her volunteers.
For them, it is not just about distributing meals.
“A lot of our volunteers are even following up non-delivery days because there is such a bond that is built between our patients and volunteers, and that’s just amazing,” Carraway said.
For Lisa Coughlin, a volunteer-turned-employee, her favorite moments spur from beyond the client's doorstep. Patients get to know volunteers and invite them into their homes to converse as they eat their meals.
“You develop a friendship and it’s almost like they become family, so I love it,” Coughlin said.
Carraway delivers to patients within a 15-mile radius of the diner, and has over 5,000 home visits since 2011.
She plans to open a new location and has met with ADOT in effort to purchase a piece of land to grow organic produce, and expand the business. Patients have quadrupled and Carraway plans to accommodate to those numbers.
“Donors can touch the difference they are making here and I think it that builds up the community involvement,” Carraway said.
On a larger scale, at a Christian non-profit in Mesa, Arizona, over 200 volunteers dedicate their time to packing food for malnourished and starving children in over 70 countries around the world.
Feed My Starving Children originated in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, and now has a permanent packing site in the Valley. Joel Bidderman, a staff member, believes that despite being spread across the nation, the work they accomplish begins with the local community.
“People are able to come in and do something locally that reaches globally. At the same time, it’s just so important to have those smaller organizations that are reaching locally,” Bidderman said.
For local charities, some of the largest challenges they face are community awareness, and finances, however volunteers still keep them alive.
Sometimes, the large-scale national charities aren’t always available to aid local communities.
This summer, Susan G. Komen closed its doors in Arizona, leaving behind a large void for breast cancer support fundraising. The Komen group, a nationally known organization, canceled its largest fundraising event in Phoenix, the Race for the Cure.
About 75 percent of the money raised by Komen Arizona stays local, while 25 percent is set aside towards research.
Local breast cancer organizations aim to take it even further, especially now with Komen’s departure, and keep 100 percent of proceeds local.
Holly Rose, 47, is a mother, wife, and a breast cancer survivor.
Rose was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. After receiving support from friends, family, and even strangers within the community, she felt a desire to give back.
Upon conquering her illness, Rose founded Don’t Be a Chump Check for a Lump, a non-profit group, to raise money for breast cancer treatments in the community.
Because Komen Arizona was unable to host the Race for the Cure 2017, Rose’s group filled in with its first Pink Out 5K, where over $10,000 was raised. Half of the proceeds went towards treatments and its free wig program, while the other half went towards research and education.
“It is so important to support local whether it is our breast cancer group or another one in the community, when you support local those funds stay local and they help the women in our own community,” Rose said.
A new mother and breast cancer survivor attended the Pink Out 5K after her oncologist recommended it to her.
Lynda Loewen was five months pregnant with her daughter, Lucy, who is now eight months old, when doctors diagnosed her with stage two breast cancer. After undergoing a double mastectomy to remove the cancer, Loewen is now cancer-free.
“Now being in remission, it’s nice to be there supporting other women and seeing other
survivors, it is really uplifting and inspiring,” Loewen said.
Don’t Be a Chump Check for a Lump has grown since its Pink Out 5K in October. Recently, the organization teamed up with the Valley Metro Light Rail where a wrap donated by Arizona Oncology was placed over a light rail car, with the organization’s logo and information to raise awareness.
What started as a small nonprofit is now evolving in the community, due to the absence of Komen Arizona.
Despite the state’s low ranks in charitableness, locals strive to continue to increase community involvement.
Patricia Lewis, Senior Professional-in-Residence at ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, believes that while charity work in Arizona may seem nonexistent, involvement is on the rise.
“Arizona is young, and we’re still learning how to be, when we’re compared to Minnesota or Massachusetts or some of the states that have very strong philanthropic components,” Lewis said. “We don’t have a lot of corporate headquarters here so we’re struggling in order to build that culture of philanthropy.”
According to Lewis, Arizonans are generous donors, giving close to $1,800 - $2,000 a year with the average income. Arizona has the third lowest rate for high-income earners amongst states with income taxes, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.
Lewis believes Arizona can transform into a more charitable state, but with time. For now, the small charities continue to fight their battles with finances and public exposure, to help the community.
“It’s hard work. Being a small, nonprofit is very hard work. And when I say most are very small, I mean it. They’re under half a million dollars in income. Many of those are all volunteer,” Lewis said.
For those who found and volunteer at local non-profit organizations, the time clock doesn’t exist.
Jennifer Carraway, John, Robinson, Holly Rose, and Laura Stanton are just some of the many who have dedicated their lives to helping others. A friend dying from cancer, and foster children with disabilities, spawned the desire to generate charities to give back to the community.
According to a 2016 study conducted by a personal finance company, WalletHub, U.S. donors donated more than $389 billion to charity, with 72 percent of the funds coming directly from individuals. However, from the same study, Arizona was the least charitable state in the country as far as giving.
Local non-profit charities begin with the motive to raise community awareness of the work they do, compared to nationwide non-profits that may not keep all the proceeds raised local.
Robinson Ranch, the Joy Bus Diner, and Don’t’ Be a Chump Check for a Lump are just a portion of Arizona’s organizations with the mission to increase local involvement in charity work. Neighborhood non-profits strive to engage the community to donate locally to keep funds in-state rather than distributed around the country, like with nationwide groups. Philanthropy experts believe that while Arizona may not be as charitable as other states, its volunteers keep local charity work alive.
The day begins before sunrise at Robinson Ranch for a 15-year-old Arizona high school student. She arrives with a smile and a bright attitude despite the pre dawn hour, sweeps the animals’ pens, distributes hay to the ponies, and preps and grooms the horses for the day. She is a volunteer at the ranch, but to her, the ranch is more than just community service.
Robinson Ranch is a home away from home for Laura Stanton. The non-profit horse ranch in Phoenix was founded by John Robinson and his wife Sheila. The couple were foster parents to children with both mental and physical disabilities, such as autism, Cerebral Palsy, and stroke victims.
After witnessing how the children’s behavior changed when they were exposed to their horses, the Robinson’s wanted to do the same for other children in Arizona who suffer from similar conditions.
While most high school students may race home afterschool and aim for video games, Stanton rushes to the ranch to continue her volunteer work. The headstrong teen is not only a volunteer, but a client as well.
She was diagnosed with ADHD and autism as a child and learned to rehabilitate her diagnoses through therapeutic riding at Robinson Ranch.
“I come here and see the horses and I just brighten up,” Stanton said. “I was kind of grumpy this morning because I woke up late, but I came here and saw the horses and snapped out of it right then.”
Volunteering at the ranch is a family affair for the Stanton family. Carol Stanton, Laura’s mother is the volunteer coordinator at Robinson Ranch, her father volunteers every weekend to do maintenance work, and their other daughter who has Cerebral Palsy, is a therapeutic rider client.
The Stanton family previously lived in Chandler, 45 minutes away from the ranch, but the constant trek convinced them to relocate their home to only five minutes away instead.
“You feel more welcomed and wanted here than you do in a larger charity because here they actually go towards your needs,” Laura said. “They want to benefit your needs and wants.”
Robinson Ranch is a small non-profit organization, living paycheck-to-paycheck but serves over 140 students each week. The ranch began in 2000 and plans to grow its facility, but focuses its revenue towards the horses’ healthcare and resources for clients. In 2015, the ranch raked in a revenue of $91,221 and had $98,223 in total expenses.
“The volunteers are everything,” Carol Stanton said. “If it weren’t for the volunteers, we wouldn’t have a facility.”
For smaller charities like the Joy Bus Diner, volunteers are heavily relied on in order to grow. The diner provides and delivers free, organic, oncologist-approved meals for homebound cancer patients from ages as young as eight, while its oldest patient is 90.
Jennifer Carraway, founder of the diner, grew her charity straight out of her home kitchen. After expansion, the charity is now a full-functioning diner open to the public as well. If you walk into the diner, it appears to be just like any restaurant, however, every dollar that derives from the business, goes directly into feeding the patients.
“The really awesome thing about going local for a charity is that you know exactly where those dollars are going,” Carraway said.
Carraway was always involved in the culinary industry, however, after her close friend Joy was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, cooking took on a new meaning.
While Joy faced rigorous chemotherapy treatments, Carraway baked pastries and prepared meals for her friend. The eats were sometimes the only thing to bring life back into Joy while she endured her illness.
When Joy unfortunately passed away, Carraway wanted continue to help other cancer patients the way she helped Joy. She promptly quit her jobs and dedicated her entire life to create the diner.
The diner opened about a year ago, although the charity has been active since 2011. Tables, kitchen appliances, and furniture were all donated to the diner from neighborhood friends, and other local restaurants who support Carraway’s cause.
The food and produce that goes into the meals come donated from farmer Frank Martin at Crooked Sky Farms on lower Buckeye. Martin established a partnership with Carraway to provide her organization with all organic, donated resources. Some meals include avocado, chickpeas, tomatoes, and sheep’s milk feta cheese.
The volunteers and donors are what set the diner’s work apart from larger meal delivery organizations, such as Meals on Wheels.
“They are passionate and supportive people to begin with and they are going into people’s homes sitting with them for as long as they want company,” Carraway said about her volunteers.
For them, it is not just about distributing meals.
“A lot of our volunteers are even following up non-delivery days because there is such a bond that is built between our patients and volunteers, and that’s just amazing,” Carraway said.
For Lisa Coughlin, a volunteer-turned-employee, her favorite moments spur from beyond the client's doorstep. Patients get to know volunteers and invite them into their homes to converse as they eat their meals.
“You develop a friendship and it’s almost like they become family, so I love it,” Coughlin said.
Carraway delivers to patients within a 15-mile radius of the diner, and has over 5,000 home visits since 2011.
She plans to open a new location and has met with ADOT in effort to purchase a piece of land to grow organic produce, and expand the business. Patients have quadrupled and Carraway plans to accommodate to those numbers.
“Donors can touch the difference they are making here and I think it that builds up the community involvement,” Carraway said.
On a larger scale, at a Christian non-profit in Mesa, Arizona, over 200 volunteers dedicate their time to packing food for malnourished and starving children in over 70 countries around the world.
Feed My Starving Children originated in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, and now has a permanent packing site in the Valley. Joel Bidderman, a staff member, believes that despite being spread across the nation, the work they accomplish begins with the local community.
“People are able to come in and do something locally that reaches globally. At the same time, it’s just so important to have those smaller organizations that are reaching locally,” Bidderman said.
For local charities, some of the largest challenges they face are community awareness, and finances, however volunteers still keep them alive.
Sometimes, the large-scale national charities aren’t always available to aid local communities.
This summer, Susan G. Komen closed its doors in Arizona, leaving behind a large void for breast cancer support fundraising. The Komen group, a nationally known organization, canceled its largest fundraising event in Phoenix, the Race for the Cure.
About 75 percent of the money raised by Komen Arizona stays local, while 25 percent is set aside towards research.
Local breast cancer organizations aim to take it even further, especially now with Komen’s departure, and keep 100 percent of proceeds local.
Holly Rose, 47, is a mother, wife, and a breast cancer survivor.
Rose was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. After receiving support from friends, family, and even strangers within the community, she felt a desire to give back.
Upon conquering her illness, Rose founded Don’t Be a Chump Check for a Lump, a non-profit group, to raise money for breast cancer treatments in the community.
Because Komen Arizona was unable to host the Race for the Cure 2017, Rose’s group filled in with its first Pink Out 5K, where over $10,000 was raised. Half of the proceeds went towards treatments and its free wig program, while the other half went towards research and education.
“It is so important to support local whether it is our breast cancer group or another one in the community, when you support local those funds stay local and they help the women in our own community,” Rose said.
A new mother and breast cancer survivor attended the Pink Out 5K after her oncologist recommended it to her.
Lynda Loewen was five months pregnant with her daughter, Lucy, who is now eight months old, when doctors diagnosed her with stage two breast cancer. After undergoing a double mastectomy to remove the cancer, Loewen is now cancer-free.
“Now being in remission, it’s nice to be there supporting other women and seeing other
survivors, it is really uplifting and inspiring,” Loewen said.
Don’t Be a Chump Check for a Lump has grown since its Pink Out 5K in October. Recently, the organization teamed up with the Valley Metro Light Rail where a wrap donated by Arizona Oncology was placed over a light rail car, with the organization’s logo and information to raise awareness.
What started as a small nonprofit is now evolving in the community, due to the absence of Komen Arizona.
Despite the state’s low ranks in charitableness, locals strive to continue to increase community involvement.
Patricia Lewis, Senior Professional-in-Residence at ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation, believes that while charity work in Arizona may seem nonexistent, involvement is on the rise.
“Arizona is young, and we’re still learning how to be, when we’re compared to Minnesota or Massachusetts or some of the states that have very strong philanthropic components,” Lewis said. “We don’t have a lot of corporate headquarters here so we’re struggling in order to build that culture of philanthropy.”
According to Lewis, Arizonans are generous donors, giving close to $1,800 - $2,000 a year with the average income. Arizona has the third lowest rate for high-income earners amongst states with income taxes, according to the Phoenix Business Journal.
Lewis believes Arizona can transform into a more charitable state, but with time. For now, the small charities continue to fight their battles with finances and public exposure, to help the community.
“It’s hard work. Being a small, nonprofit is very hard work. And when I say most are very small, I mean it. They’re under half a million dollars in income. Many of those are all volunteer,” Lewis said.
Why Local Is Important
The Backbone of Charities
A woman travels throughout the Valley to multiple farms, makes her pitch to farmers, and heads on to the next location after being politely rejected. This happens 12 times. At the 13th farm, her luck takes a change for the better when Farmer Frank is the first to finally say yes.
Jennifer Carraway found Farmer Frank Martin over six years ago when she was in the early stages of creating her nonprofit charity, the Joy Bus Diner. The diner’s mission to deliver organic, home-cooked meals, hinged on one final component: the ingredients.
Carraway explained her goal to 12 farms who unfortunately were unable to donate produce for her meals, until Martin at Crooked Sky Farms was moved by her efforts, and gave her the go-ahead.
Carraway and other local charities in Arizona such as Robinson Ranch, and a breast cancer support group, face a set of challenges compared to charities on national levels with higher budgets. While volunteers are the heart and soul of many of these charities, the donors and suppliers are the backbone.
Martin felt Carraway was creating a unique charity and wanted to aid her cause.
“When I first met her, she had a lot of passion for what she believed in and that was just basically being able to care for people,” Martin said.
Crooked Sky Farms includes over 140 different types of vegetables grown. A portion of the produce goes to Farmer’s Markets, local food banks, and churches, in addition to the regular agriculture work they do in the community.
Martin is just one of the many contributors who play a role in local nonprofits.
At Robinson Ranch, a therapeutic horseback riding facility for clients with special needs, only three employees can afford to be on its payroll. Despite its small size, the ranch thrives on the time and resources donated by the community.
Lowe’s Hardware Store donated materials and sent a crew to Robinson Ranch to build a deck for its property.
“We have people who just want to come in and all they do is maintenance, and that’s all they want to do,” Carol Stanton, ranch volunteer coordinator said.
A local breast cancer support organization, Don’t Be a Chump Check for a Lump strives to keep 100 percent of funds raised in Arizona. Additionally, the group provides a free wig program, Wig Out, to all breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Through Wig Out, local wig shops provide any wig up to $250 value to the patient for free.
The organization provides the funds for the wigs, but the local wig shops are the providers. Don’t Be a Chump Check for a Lump is also sponsored by the Arizona Center for Reconstructive Breast Surgery, Arizona Oncology, and Brian W. Gawley Plastic Surgery.
Without the donors or sponsors, the nonprofits would struggle to financially support the community.
“I guess it’s mostly, you get to meet a lot of people that you’re doing good for. You can write a check and send it to the Red Cross or anybody, but you never really see the actual person that you helped,” Martin said.
Jennifer Carraway found Farmer Frank Martin over six years ago when she was in the early stages of creating her nonprofit charity, the Joy Bus Diner. The diner’s mission to deliver organic, home-cooked meals, hinged on one final component: the ingredients.
Carraway explained her goal to 12 farms who unfortunately were unable to donate produce for her meals, until Martin at Crooked Sky Farms was moved by her efforts, and gave her the go-ahead.
Carraway and other local charities in Arizona such as Robinson Ranch, and a breast cancer support group, face a set of challenges compared to charities on national levels with higher budgets. While volunteers are the heart and soul of many of these charities, the donors and suppliers are the backbone.
Martin felt Carraway was creating a unique charity and wanted to aid her cause.
“When I first met her, she had a lot of passion for what she believed in and that was just basically being able to care for people,” Martin said.
Crooked Sky Farms includes over 140 different types of vegetables grown. A portion of the produce goes to Farmer’s Markets, local food banks, and churches, in addition to the regular agriculture work they do in the community.
Martin is just one of the many contributors who play a role in local nonprofits.
At Robinson Ranch, a therapeutic horseback riding facility for clients with special needs, only three employees can afford to be on its payroll. Despite its small size, the ranch thrives on the time and resources donated by the community.
Lowe’s Hardware Store donated materials and sent a crew to Robinson Ranch to build a deck for its property.
“We have people who just want to come in and all they do is maintenance, and that’s all they want to do,” Carol Stanton, ranch volunteer coordinator said.
A local breast cancer support organization, Don’t Be a Chump Check for a Lump strives to keep 100 percent of funds raised in Arizona. Additionally, the group provides a free wig program, Wig Out, to all breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Through Wig Out, local wig shops provide any wig up to $250 value to the patient for free.
The organization provides the funds for the wigs, but the local wig shops are the providers. Don’t Be a Chump Check for a Lump is also sponsored by the Arizona Center for Reconstructive Breast Surgery, Arizona Oncology, and Brian W. Gawley Plastic Surgery.
Without the donors or sponsors, the nonprofits would struggle to financially support the community.
“I guess it’s mostly, you get to meet a lot of people that you’re doing good for. You can write a check and send it to the Red Cross or anybody, but you never really see the actual person that you helped,” Martin said.