Community Support from The Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds Charities and the WM Phoenix Open continue to be St. Mary’s “hole in one” year after year! During this year’s tournament, The Thunderbirds donated 24,000 pounds of beverages (that’s three semi-truck loads) and matched a $20,000 donation from the PGA TOUR Wives Association, for a total of $40,000 (which is 200,000 meals) for our neighbors in need. But there’s so much more! The day after the PGA TOUR Wives Golf Classic at the TPC Scottsdale, the ladies volunteered at St. Mary’s and brought an important sponsor with them, Big Ass Fans (yes, that’s the name of the company). The amazing day resulted in hundreds of packed emergency food boxes and two new six-foot-tall fans that will help keep our volunteers cool during those sweltering summer days sneaking up on us.

The kind of generosity and friendship that St. Mary’s experienced during the 2024 WM Phoenix Open is hardly “par for the course” for The Thunderbirds. Their long-standing support of the food bank is simply phenomenal. As the tournament grew in popularity over the last decade, so has The Thunderbirds commitment to St. Mary’s. This compassionate organization has gifted more than $1.3 million to us at St. Mary’s over the last 10 years, helping us feed children and families in need. When St. Mary’s needed trucks and equipment to expand our after-school Kids Cafe Program, we simply asked The Thunderbirds. When the decision was made to expand our School Pantry Program in metro Phoenix and rural areas of Arizona, The Thunderbirds, with the help of the PGA TOUR Wives, donated more than $100,000, ensuring hungry families had a place to select staples and dairy items in their neighborhood school. And when the pandemic hit, The Thunderbirds presented St. Mary’s with a $100,000 gift so we could face the unprecedented challenge of getting food to people when most businesses and schools were closed, causing financial worry for many families. Also during the pandemic, The Thunderbirds volunteered their time helping us pack much-needed food boxes.

St. Mary’s knows The Thunderbirds and WM Phoenix Open always shine when it comes to helping charitable causes in our community. We are so grateful for this fruitful partnership and continued friendship. Thank you!