4 Ways to Connect and Engage
The pandemic has changed a lot in our day-to-day lives, but we hope we can continue to be a source for you to connect, be inspired and get involved with the most pressing issues facing Arizona.
Connect and Be Inspired
And we’ve got plenty of inspiration in store at our now virtual 71st Annual Man and Woman of the Year on Oct. 29. You’ll hear from our two honorees and Arizona community stewards – Karrin Taylor Robson, founder and president of Arizona Strategies, and Kenneth J. Schutz, executive director of the Desert Botanical Garden – about why they engage in the community and how they’ve adapted during the pandemic. You’ll also hear from Jack McCain and be able to submit questions to him as we have a conversation about what it means to lead and honor his late father, Senator John McCain. And, you’ll see the impact our alumni are having on issues like education, health and more through our Impact Maker – along with ways you can support it. This will be a fun, fast-moving program, and we look forward to coming together virtually to celebrate incredible community leadership.
Take Action and Lead
If you’re ready to take action, you can do just that through some of our recent Impact Maker calls to action:
- Volunteer with Fresh Connections – we have new volunteer opportunities gardening and at a farmers’ market. Opportunities are indoor and outdoor, and organizations are following CDC guidelines to keep volunteers safe.
- Sponsor and build a Little Free Library to help increase literacy in underserved neighborhoods.
And, you have an important role to play in the U.S. Census.
Right now, Arizona is behind, with just under 62.1% of households self-responding and counted 80% of households counted to date – far behind the national averages of 65.5% and 88.2% respectively. And, there’s a lot at stake if Arizonans aren’t counted: even a 1% undercount of Arizona households could result in a loss of $60 million in federal funding annually – that’s $600 million over the next decade. Arizona is also positioned, based on its population growth over the past decade, for a 10th congressional seat. With current response rates, this seat is at risk.
But you can help. First, if you haven’t already, respond to the Census. Share the importance of completing the Census with your networks (and use this toolkit) or share your ideas for how to connect with undercounted populations with Arizona Complete Count Committee Director Alec Thomson.
While the world may look a little different, our commitment to putting Arizona first, working together and having some fun along the way hasn’t changed – and we look forward to engaging with you soon.
