“Our People”

 After our current chairman spent time at Crossroads Mission in Yuma, Arizona, we developed a strong and meaningful partnership with their organization. Crossroads Mission serves countless individuals and families in need, including providing more than 3,000 meals during the Thanksgiving season. Inspired by the incredible work they do, we make it a priority each year to assemble a team of volunteers and travel to Yuma to help serve their community.

Crossroads Mission has also been an invaluable partner in supporting our efforts through generous donations of truckloads of fresh produce and melons, which we are able to bring back and distribute throughout the Payson community. In addition, they host a variety of fundraising events and consistently invite us to participate. These opportunities allow us to learn, grow, and build lasting relationships with organizations and individuals across Arizona. We are grateful for this partnership and look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with the remarkable people who make up Crossroads Mission.

Our project manager, who is also an elementary school teacher at Payson Elementary School (PES), has helped us establish a strong partnership with the school. Through this collaboration, we launched our “Plant a Seed Project” with the PES Little Gardeners Club. The program included 12 enthusiastic students eager to learn the fundamentals of gardening.

Because the participants were young learners, we focused on building a strong foundation. From January through May, students learned how to grow a variety of crops, including peas, turnips, carrots, garlic, lettuce, radishes, strawberries, and several types of flowers. They also explored the importance of soil health and composting by learning about worms and creating worm hotels, which continue to be used at the school today.

We have also partnered with the University of Arizona Master Gardeners Program through our local community college, as well as the High Country Garden Club. We are excited about future educational outreach opportunities and look forward to expanding our collaboration with the Payson Unified School District.

In addition to these partnerships, we maintain strong relationships with a variety of organizations, businesses, and community groups throughout Arizona, including RVN3, El Caballo Club, GLH, Shanti Omstead, Tonto Silkscreen, Pine Ice/ Uncle Toms Kwik Stop, DD Haught, Mid-State Asphalt, Tree Crafters, and The Hoffmanns Wedding & Event Center. These valued partnerships have helped us expand our reach, strengthen our programs, and better serve the communities we support.

As our organization continues to grow, we recognize the importance of developing new professional relationships with businesses, educational institutions, nonprofits, government agencies, and community leaders. Building these connections creates opportunities to share resources, exchange knowledge, increase community impact, and establish sustainable support networks. Strong partnerships are essential to the long-term success of our mission, allowing us to expand educational opportunities, strengthen outreach efforts, and better respond to the needs of the communities we serve.

`We are committed to fostering meaningful collaborations throughout Arizona and beyond, and we actively seek opportunities to connect with organizations and individuals who share our vision of community engagement, education, and service. By continuing to build and strengthen these relationships, we can create lasting positive change and ensure that our programs remain impactful for years to come.