Amity Foundation awarded $1,000,000 grant to build Dragonfly Village for children and families

Jun 5 2010

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, California has awarded Amity Foundation a $1,000,000 grant to help build Dragonfly Village, a state-of-the-art center for children and families at Amity Foundation's Circle Tree Ranch in Tucson, Arizona.

The Emerald Foundation formed by the late Frances McClelland, co-owner of Shamrock Foods, awarded an initial $250,000 grant towards the cost of planning and gaining approval for the construction. Architectural plans were completed by GD&A of Tucson, Arizona and approved by Pima County.

The center will be called Dragonfly Village in honor of the Zuni Legend of those who bring "comfort to the children." Ray Clarke, Dragonfly Board President stated, "we are deeply grateful to the Federal Home Loan Bank and the Emerald Foundation for their support."

Amity intends to address the critical need to save our children:

• 1 in 5 children are living in poverty, the primary cause of poverty is drug related.
• There are only 159 residential treatment spaces for women and children in Arizona and 6,000 children per year have parents who need treatment that do not receive services.
• Restoring families through the teaching and community building process ensures that society will spend less on welfare, foster care, medical care, incarceration and other services that drain local, state and federal budgets.

Amity participated in a study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) that proves families and children that go through treatment together are more successful and stay together.

Amity Foundation will facilitate a capital campaign and provide five acres of real estate, a father's residency, a swimming pool and other amenities for Dragonfly Village. Dragonfly Village will also accommodate up to 100 family members annually. The Village will feature ten children's and women's residences and a community center with dining, childcare, study centers, faculty and classrooms. Amity Foundation's Circle Tree Ranch, as a teaching community, helped pioneer services for children and families with problems of addiction, abuse and neglect.

We will continue to invite guests for informational events where Dragonfly Village donation updates will be given monthly. Your recommendation for our next guest list is also welcomed.