Home Care In Ahwatukee, AZ

Arthur Ashe once said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Volunteers do just that.

Here is a list of great volunteer opportunities. Want to see your organization here? Email [email protected]

Y OPAS

The Ahwatukee Family YMCA Outreach for Ahwatukee Seniors, called Y OPAS, is always looking for volunteers who have a little spare time to help transport senior clients to doctor visits, grocery stores, or other Y OPAS social events, etc.

Volunteers also may choose to do friendly visits or phone calls to seniors who may be lonely.

Volunteers say they have found their time with Y OPAS to be a rewarding way to help others and have developed many friendships over their years of service to our community.

For more information on becoming a client or a Y OPAS volunteer:

valleyymca.org/opas or call 602-212-6088 #1.

Hope for the Homeless

Once a month volunteers gather at Mountain Park Church, 16461 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee, to prepare meals that are distributed the next day to André House in downtown Phoenix. Tim and Scott Berry, owners of Precision Auto Body, welcome volunteers.

Hope for the Homelessaz.com

Project Humanities

Ahwatukee resident and Arizona State University professor Dr. Neal Lester is founding director of Project Humanities, which every other Saturday distributes clothing and hygiene items at the city Human Services Campus in Phoenix.

Volunteers are always welcome to help sort out donations at the ASU Community Services Building in Tempe every Friday and for the biweekly Service Saturdays. For full details:

projecthumanities.asu.edu/homeless-outreach-instructions-and-schedule

Arizona Animal Welfare League

The Arizona Animal Welfare League is the oldest and largest no-kill shelter in Arizona. Founded in 1971, AAWL rehomes and rehabilitates more than 4,000 rescue animals across the state that have been abandoned or surrendered.

Residents can volunteer at the shelter and become foster pet parents.

aawl.org

Arizona Humane Society

At the Arizona Humane Society, volunteers are truly the cornerstone of helping 20,000 sick, injured and abused pets each year. To become a volunteer, visit azhumane.org/volunteer and take the online orientation; make a one-time $25 donation to cover the costs of gear and onboarding; and search for opportunities.

Those unable to make a weekly commitment can sign up for a one-time volunteer opportunity. All volunteers must be at least 16 years of age or older.

azhumane.org/volunteer

Arizona Helping Hands

Founded in 1998, the mission of Arizona Helping Hands is to support the foster care community by providing essentials to benefit children in foster care.

As Arizona’s largest provider of essential resources, it offers foster care families beds, cribs, clothing, diapers, and personal care items.

azhelpinghands.org

Arizona Jewish Historical Society

The Arizona Jewish Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. AZJHS is seeking community resources and donations for its capital campaign with a goal to further educate the public about Jewish history.

azjhs.org

Arizona Small Dog Rescue

Arizona Small Dog Rescue is recruiting volunteers of all kinds. The shelter has volunteer training and orientations on Wednesdays and Sundays. Shelter volunteers must be at least 10, and off-site adoption event volunteers must be 14.

Some chose to get involved with physical work (repairs, cleaning out storage areas, building new play areas, etc.) while others treat the shelter dogs to nice off-site walks and lots of TLC.

azsmalldog.org

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

The organization matches youth in the community with caring adult mentors, “Bigs,” who offer encouragement and support so that each “Little” can reach their full potential.

Bigs are asked to meet with their Littles two to four times per month for a minimum of one year in one of these programs:

• Community based: Meet with Littles to do activities you both enjoy. Go hiking, bowling, to the library or park. Volunteers choose the days and times they meet.

• Site based: Visit a local elementary school to meet with a Little for one hour per week during lunch. Spend time at recess, playing board games, or doing crafts.

• Couple/family: Invite your significant other and/or children to mentor a child together.

bbbsaz.org/volunteer

Catholic Charities Community Services

Catholic Charities has been serving Arizonans since 1933 and provides more than 20 programs to strengthen children and families, serve and shelter neighbors, welcome refugees and immigrants, and collaborate with the community.

Volunteer needs are varied and include administrative work, cleaning and maintenance, mentoring, tutoring, food pantry, meal distribution and event set-up and support.

Corporate groups and individuals are encouraged to apply for one-time or ongoing programs. Aside from one-time special events, volunteers must be 18 or older and are required to get a background check and fingerprint clearance due to working with vulnerable populations.

catholiccharitiesaz.org/volunteer

Dress for Success Phoenix

Dress for Success Phoenix is a nonprofit that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help them thrive in work and in life.

The organization provides a variety of life-changing services and programs, including job search preparedness, interview coaching, interview suiting, and career coaching and mentorship.

Volunteer needs include career center support, resume writing and interview skills, personal shopper, makeup application, mentoring, special event support and professional speaking. Dress for Success Phoenix has regularly scheduled volunteer orientations, and the need for volunteers is ongoing.

dfsphoenix.org/get-involved/

Future for Kids

Future for Kids is a local nonprofit that provides at-risk youth with the support they need to navigate school and life’s challenges.

It has developed structured programs for it mentors to engage with the kids through academic, athletic and ethics activities to build strong bonds while having fun.

Mentors in the Discover Your Future program will work in a small group of youth with a provided curriculum in a supportive and structured environment.

Mentors must be older than age 16; commit to 2.5 hours, once a week for a semester or the full school year. Includes a 15-minute meeting prior to program, two hours with youth, and 15-minute meeting after.

futureforkids.org

Hunkapi Programs

Volunteers are vital to the operation of Hunkapi Programs, which offers therapeutic programs to participants with a wide variety of diagnoses including PTSD, autism spectrum disorder and emotional disorder.

Volunteers can choose from a wide variety of opportunities, all of which are designed to support the growth and expansion of the program. No previous experience with horses or disabilities is necessary. Volunteers will be taught everything they need to know.

hunkapi.org

Phoenix Children’s Hospital

At Phoenix Children’s, patients and staff count on their volunteers. Volunteers can provide hope, healing and care for patients and their families by engaging with patients at the bedside, assisting in the in-hospital school, or helping families find their way around the hospital campus.

phoenixchildrens.org/volunteering

Phoenix Rescue Mission

Phoenix Rescue Mission provides Christ-centered, life-transforming solutions to persons facing hunger, homelessness, addiction and trauma.

Volunteer opportunities include hosting a food drive; working at the Hope for Hunger Food Bank; packing bags of food and supplies for mobile pantries and community outreach events; mentoring, tutoring and serving to clients in recovery programs; traveling on the hot streets of Phoenix providing water, encouragement and other resources to our homeless neighbors, and more.

phoenixrescuemission.org

The Singletons

The Singletons is a homegrown 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to meeting the needs of single-parent families battling cancer by providing strength, hope, resources and community.

The organization experienced a 50% increase in families requesting support and services in the last year, creating a critical need for monetary donations, corporate sponsorships and community volunteers to help onboard the families who need help.

thesingletonsaz.org

United Food Bank

United Food Bank in Mesa has provided hunger relief to people in the East Valley since 1983. The local food bank collects, acquires, stores and distributes food to 150 partner agencies and programs throughout five counties.

To help provide food for Arizona families facing hunger, United Food Bank relies on volunteers to assist with boxing and storing food. Volunteers as young as 5 years old can help build food bags, sort and box food donations, and serve families at its food distributions.

unitedfoodbank.org

Western Spirit Scottsdale’s Museum of the West

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West is recruiting volunteers who wish to help the museum fulfill its role as a storyteller of the American West.

The museum’s docents lead tours of the exhibitions and tell the rich stories of the American West, including those of the life of many American West peoples and cultures, the life and culture of the everyday cowboy, and the expansion of the west.

Those with previous museum volunteer experience, or a background in education or western studies, are especially encouraged to volunteer, although this is not a requirement.

Those who are interested should contact Wade Weber, director of education, at [email protected] or 480-530-3461 to schedule a brief tour. Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West is at 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale.

Email: [email protected]

After four months of rehearsals, the 60-member cast of the “Arizona Nutcracker,” most of whom are from Ahwatukee and the East Valley, is ready to take to the stage Dec. 16-17.

The two matinee and one evening performances, featuring magical staging like falling snow, are being presented once again at the Madison Center for the Arts, 5601 N. 16th St., Phoenix.

Ahwatukee’s Ryann Suzuki, 12, dances the role of Clara, Laycie Michelle, 16, is this year’s Sugar Plum Fairy, and 8-year-old Caden Jerger is Fritz, Clara’s little brother.

Along with the other 65 cast members ages 4 through 18 who auditioned, these three leads learned they had secured their roles after seeing a posted lawn sign in their front yards last August – a tradition repeated annually by Kimberly Lewis, producer and director of “Arizona Nutcracker” and owner of Dance Studio 111 in Ahwatukee.

This year Lewis started her planting of lawn signs at 11:30 p.m. after driving to a cast member in Surprise, and continued driving throughout the East Valley until 4 a.m.

“When I saw the sign on my lawn I was so happy, I started jumping up and down and crying. That was my dream that came true,” said Ryann Suzuki, a sixth grader.

Along with her fellow castmates, Ryann has been rehearsing since August, and now more intently as the performances draw nearer.

And yet, she says, it is all worth it.

“It is a lot of work and commitment but I love every part of it,” she said. “It really is magical. I love when the little girls hug me, and I love working with the older girls.”

Ryann, the first Latina to play Clara, is the daughter of Richard and Jessica Suzuki.

Her mother said Ryann was determined to earn the role.

“As her mother, I’m in awe of her work ethic, her drive and her grit. Ryann went into the “Arizona Nutcracker” audition with one role in mind, and that was Clara,” Jessica Suzuki related.

“She asked me to buy her a red bow and to have her makeup done for the auditions. She walked into the audition with full makeup and a bright velvet Victorian bow in place above her bun.”

The mother said there was more involved than a red bow and stage make-up.

“Prior to the auditions, Ryann reviewed all of Clara’s old videos that were on Instagram, and she dedicated her summer to focusing on ballet,” she recalled.

“She has immersed herself into the role. Now she constantly tells me, ‘Mom, it’s going by too fast!’ She’s cherishing every second onstage and in practice.”

Laycie Michell, a junior at Desert Vista High School, is this year’s Sugar Plum Fairy. This is her fourth “Arizona Nutcracker” appearance and first time in this role.

Her alma mater for years hosted Lewis’ annual production when it was known as “Ahwatukee Nutcracker.”

And while the pandemic led to Lewis changing the venue and the title, her production remains the only “Nutcracker” in the state with a cast made up entirely of people 18 and under except for a scene with parents.

“I’ve danced since I was 8 and dance is a major passion of mine,” Laycie stated. “I plan to continue dancing into college, and beyond. I dance and compete in several styles of dance, but doing ballet in the Nutcracker is one of my favorites.

“I love all the fun memories we make and the laughs that I share with my friends when I am in rehearsals.”

Laycie’s younger sister Vivian Ameen, 10, also performs in several scenes in the “Arizona Nutcracker.” Their parents are Anthony and Stephanie Ameen.

Stephanie Ameen said she’s proud of both daughters and knows how hard her eldest worked to earn her role as the Sugar Plum Fairy, one of the more difficult in the ballet canon.

Tchaikovsky’s “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” along with “March of the Toy Soldiers,” are among the more recognizable tunes in ballet.

“Laycie has excelled in dance. She is also the elite team captain at Dance Studio 111, as well as at Desert Vista High School,” her mother said. She absolutely loves dancing, and will spend several hours a week practicing.

“She’s an excellent student, has a huge heart. Sure, every parent thinks their kid is amazing, but Laycie is truly gifted in her abilities.”

As a child and teen, Jessica Ameen, then Jessica Braunger, was a student at Lewis’ dance studio, and performed in various productions. In this year’s “Arizona Nutcracker,” she appears in the party scene with other parents.

“It’s really fun to be on stage with our daughters,” she smiled.

Laycie, 16, is enthusiastic about sharing this holiday classic and encourages families to attend one of the three performances.

“This is the perfect time to gather your family and friends to enjoy a holiday event that’s really special and fun,” she said. ”Everyone in the cast works so hard to make it a magical performance for the audience. There’s just nothing like it.”

Dance Studio 111’s extravaganza has garnered a loyal and widespread following with their exquisite costuming and magical staging of the timeless favorite.

“It really is magical,” said Lewis, who changed the production’s name after the annual holiday ballet consistently attracted dancers from throughout Maricopa County, and as far as Tucson.

This is Lewis’ 24th year producing and directing and her 30th year in business.

She first owned as the Kimberly Lewis Dance Studio, and then, following a move to her current studio at 4910 Chandler Blvd., suite 111, renamed her teaching facilities, Dance Studio 111.

AHWATUKEE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — An Ahwatukee woman paid more than $6,000 for a special order couch. When it arrived, she claims it didn’t have any of the upgrades she paid for. When the furniture store didn’t correct the issue, she turned to On Your Side for help.

The upgrades we’re talking about include memory foam cushions, which are more expensive than the standard cushions. And from there, this viewer says the problems just continue. When Jessica Grady initially saw the couch on a furniture showroom floor, she knew she had to have it.

“It’s a beautiful couch. It looks great in the room,” she says. It may look great, but when you sit on it, she says, it doesn’t feel great. From the day it was delivered in March, Grady tells On Your Side that she could tell something was wrong.

“It’s not comfortable,” she says. And it wasn’t cheap. It’s a $6,200 couch that was purchased through a store called Bassett Furniture. She says the sofa is pricey because she paid Bassett Furniture extra for the cushions to be memory foam, just like the one in the showroom. But she says her couch feels nothing like that at all.

“And after a couple days I noticed that it did not feel like memory foam,” she says. “So I unzipped the couch and it was not in fact, memory foam. So we had to take that up with Bassett.”

Grady says Bassett initially insisted that it was memory foam, but when she took a cushion into the store, they acknowledged that it was clearly not memory foam and ordered replacements. But when those replacements arrived, they weren’t memory foam, either.

“They look exactly the same,” Grady says. And as for the seat back cushions, she paid extra for them to be filled with down. She says what she got was a mess.

“So there are some down feathers ... and a giant piece of foam,” she says. “It’s been overstuffed, and it still has a giant foam core in it. So it just felt like nothing that we sat on in the showroom.”

She says the backs are bulky and uncomfortable. After four months of countless phone calls and visits to Bassett, nothing on the couch has been corrected. The company initially offered a $1,200 discount for the inconvenience, but Grady says she wasn’t interested and reached out to On Your Side. We got involved, and Bassett took another look at the situation and agreed to make things right.

Bassett sent us an email saying: “We are aware that the product received does not meet Mrs. Grady’s needs and the custom options for that specific collection are not at the comfort level that she is requesting. It does not make them defective — they are just not to her comfort level.” They went on to say, “a refund will be processed when the merchandise is surrendered to Bassett.”

Grady says that’s great news and wished the furniture store would have agreed to a refund sooner. “For that money, it’s just hard to believe that we keep running into roadblocks at every point,” she says.

Thanks to Bassett for agreeing to issue a refund. On Your Side will stay on top of the issue, and we’ll let you know when this viewer gets her check.

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SRP customers in Mesa and the Ahwatukee area woke up in the dark as outages rolled through with the storms.

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PHOENIX — SRP customers in Mesa and the Ahwatukee area were without power Tuesday morning as monsoon storms rolled through the southeast Valley. Outages were mostly fixed by 8:30 a.m.

According to the SRP outages map, as many as 5,000 customers in and around Ahwatukee were without power during peak outages.

In Mesa, 1,266 customers were without power. Roughly 130 customers were without power in Scottsdale.

Electrical equipment failure caused most of the outages, according to SRP.

>>Editor's note: The following screenshot was taken at 6:55 a.m.:

Credit: SRP

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PHOENIX — Wren House Brewing Co. is set to open a European-inspired beer hall in Ahwatukee this July called Wren Südhalle.

“So, think of the vibe as…comforting, blonde woods, and green tile, and a huge large island bar, a big patio, lots of German imports as well a lot of lagers that we make at Wren House,” said Drew Pool, co-owner of Wren House, to ABC15.

The new location will come with a kitchen.

“The plan is to have barbecue available there in our own kitchen,” said Pool. This will be the first time that Wren House Brewing will have a kitchen/restaurant concept at any of its locations.

“It’ll kind of be like a walk-up window sort of thing or order at your table- a QR code [concept] and have food ran out to you,” shared Pool with ABC15.

“The beer list will always be changing, always be rotating- we’ve actually worked with a lot of importers on getting special beers that, you know, no one else in Arizona has or has had. So, it’ll be a really unique place for not only locals to come out but people that are really into kind of beer culture,” said Pool.

According to its co-owner, the plan is to have this location open to the public every day with extended hours of operation during the weekend.

IF YOU GO

ANOTHER LOCATION IN THE WORKS FOR 2024

Wren House Brewing Co. is one of the six recently announced businesses that’ll be breaking ground at the Paradise Valley Mall redevelopment project- which is called ‘PV’.

“For our spot in particular within the development, we will have a patio. It will be probably a similar size to our current taproom on 24th street- so not huge, it’s going to be intimate for sure,” said Pool. “We’re expecting to do something unique, a little different than all of our other locations- so kind of bring a PV vibe to the space.”

According to Pool, this space is slated to open in fall 2024.

RELATED: LIST OF TENANTS COMING TO PV MALL’S REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT

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