Angel Charity for Children to Fund 10 Beneficiaries in 2026

By Tara Kirkpatrick

Angel Charity for Children, a stalwart of fundraising for children across Pima County for decades, intends to spread that giving even further this year, choosing a record 10 organizations that represent a wide reach of worthy services for youth.

For more than 40 years, Angel Charity has made it a mission to improve children’s quality of life. Together with its donors, the organization of 250 volunteers has funded 152 projects across the region and awarded $34 million to help 1.2 million children since 1983.

The annual selection process to apply for Angel grants is rigorous for nonprofits and includes detailed applications, site visits, financial reviews and more. This year, the 10 beneficiaries will share $1,179,320 in grants.

“We find it’s really important to listen to the needs of our community and where that need is most pressing,” said Karla Looby, 2026 general chair for Angel Charity. “That’s why we have 10 total beneficiaries this year. Our membership really felt strongly that it represented a broad scope of needs, and we were going to be able to support organizations who we’ve supported in the past, but also be potentially, that first big grantor to some of these smaller organizations that haven’t had this type of funding offered to them before.”

Added 2026 Vice Chair Marci Saffer: “It’s really exciting…never before have we selected 10 beneficiaries to fund in one year.”

The 2026 organizations that Angel Charity selected are the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, Candlelighters Cancer Foundation of Southern Arizona, Catholic Community Services of Arizona, Dancing in the Streets Arizona, Gootter-Jensen Foundation, Greater Vail Community ReSources, Integrative Touch, Mini Poderosas, Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center and St. Augustine Catholic High School.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson secured the largest amount – a $685,459 Impact Grant to create a dedicated teen space at the Steve Daru Clubhouse in west Tucson. The funds will help build an area for technology learning, mentoring and workforce and leadership programs. The money will also help modernize the clubhouse gym and enable other facility-wide fixes.

“We walked into that clubhouse and you could see how loved it had been, but how much more love it still needed and could give the community,” Looby said. “We heard a lot about the population of kids really dwindling when it came to middle school and high school ages because they really didn’t have a space for themselves.”

The clubhouse, on Silverbell Road just north of East Speedway, pulls kids from more than 20 nearby schools and at least eight neighborhoods. “We love it because it was needed in the space, but it’s also going to be a model for them to expand other clubhouses,” said Saffer.

Tisha Tallman, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson said, “It couldn’t have come at a better time, as the Steve Daru Club is a growing club, especially amongst our teenagers. This wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of Angel Charity.” The nine other nonprofits chosen reflect  a variety of youth services.

“We are funding categories of health and human services, which are drastically needed in our community, as well as education, medical, and performing arts,” said Saffer. “We’re able to really impact every sector of the nonprofit community with our fundraising efforts.”

One new beneficiary this year is Mini Poderosas, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring girls and young women who face adversity that increases their risk for chronic diseases, mental health struggles and social impairment. The organization will use the $15,000 Opportunity Grant for a program to nurture resilience and remain in school.

“They are a small but mighty team that is working from the ground up to get the social emotional support for these girls and young ladies, to really have the tools to feel confident in themselves and do their best,” said Looby.

Another new organization this year, Greater Vail Community ReSources, will use its $15,000 grant for its Meals to Grow program that delivers nutritious weekend meal bags to children who face food insecurity. “They are boots on the ground, able to serve the children and families in southeastern Pima County.”

Looby and Saffer agree that every year it gets more difficult to choose which organizations to support because the needs of children remain so great across Pima County.

“The nonprofit sector works extremely smart, and they work extremely lean,” said Saffer. “They can do a lot and be extremely resourceful with what they have. We’re so fortunate to be in Tucson. It’s a community of businesses and community members and nonprofits that really collaborate and work together.”

Pictured above from left – Nigel Bigbee, Steve Daru Clubhouse Director; Marci Saffer, 2026 Vice Chair for Angel Charity; Tisha Tallman, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson; Karla Looby, 2026 General Chair for Angel Charity; Julie Trujillo, BGCT COO. Photo by Brent G. Mathis