FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 31, 2008

Media Contact: Amy Baldwin

Arizona Foundation for Women

Mobile: (602) 619-9191

FAX: (602) 532-2801

abaldwin@azfoundationforwomen.org

The Arizona Foundation for Women Kicks Off the

6^th Annual Walk to End Domestic Violence!

Presented by The Arizona Republic and 12 News

Phoenix, Arizona – The Arizona Foundation for Women announced that the 2008 Walk to End Domestic Violence will be held on April 26, 2008 at Wesley Bolin Plaza. The annual Kickoff Breakfast took place on January 30 at the Arizona Biltmore. The Walk will begin at 7:30am with a 5K Run, followed by the 5K Walk and then a Kids Dash. The festivities will include a live performance from the Chris Parker Project, a Kids Zone with games and activities, sponsor booths with give-a-ways, and a designated area where participants can learn about domestic violence shelters and programs in Maricopa County. The Home Team Sponsors (Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury and Arizona Coyotes) will be participating in interactive areas, hosted by players and mascots!

The 2008 Walk to End Domestic Violence will raise much-needed funds to support domestic violence shelters and programs in Maricopa County, who provide full-service support to women and children as they flee violent situations. The Walk is also designed to increase awareness of this devastating problem. Because domestic violence incidences are increasing this type of public supported fundraising program is more critical than ever. Funds are raised through registration fees and pledges collected by participants. All of the event costs are underwritten by corporate sponsors, therefore 100 percent of the pledges and registration fees directly benefit the shelters.

“We are honored to host the Walk and to continue the good work that The Arizona Republic and 12 News started,” states Nancy Dean, CEO of the Arizona Foundation for Women. “The funds raised from the Walk have helped thousands of lives and the event draws attention to one of Arizona’s most critical social issues. We challenge our community to join with us in taking a stand against domestic violence. This abuse is unacceptable and we will not tolerate it, and we must have a unified voice.”

All community members are welcome to join the 5K Walk or Run! Participants include the Honorary Chair, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, city officials, and teams from local corporations, domestic violence shelters, victims of abuse, and community members who want to show their support for the issue.

WALK GOALS – RAISE A MINIMUM OF $400,000; participation from a minimum of 4,000 walkers and runners; and participation from a minimum of 146 Teams.

EVENT DETAILS April 26, 2008

6:30am - Registration

7:30am – Competitive 5K Run

7:32am – 5K Walk (non-competitive)

8:15am – Music (live performance from the Chris Parker Project) and Festivities

8:50am - Kids Dash (free for ages 10 and under)

9:00am – Awards Ceremony

9:10am – Music (live performance from the Chris Parker Project) and Festivities

*times subject to change

Wesley Bolin Plaza, downtown Phoenix, Arizona

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STATISTICS

• One in every four women in the U.S. is abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in her life

• Each year, nearly 100 women are killed in domestic violence situations in Arizona alone

• Sixty percent of all Child Protective Services cases involve a domestic violence component

• Domestic violence is the leading cause of death of women in the workplace

• Over 4.5 million assaults are committed against U.S. women by intimate partners each year

• More than 50 percent of domestic violence victims live with children under the age of 12, and 60 percent of all Child Protective Services cases involve a domestic violence component

• More than 50 percent of all Arizona women and their children seeking shelter from Domestic Violence are turned away due to lack of space (approximately 17,000 per year in Maricopa County)

• Domestic violence costs U.S. businesses nearly $1 billion in lost productivity alone

_________________________________________

About the Arizona Foundation for Women

The Arizona Foundation for Women (AFW) is a nonprofit, philanthropic organization dedicated to investing in and promoting innovative solutions that address the unmet needs of women and children throughout the state of Arizona.

Using ongoing research, the Foundation identifies and focuses on priority issues such as domestic violence, child abuse, and the health and self-esteem of women, teens and children.

AFW’s Men’s Anti-Violence Network (MAN) enlists the help of prominent community leaders to focus on prevention and abuser accountability. Employers Against Domestic Violence (EADV) is a program that focuses on domestic violence awareness in the workplace. To date, AFW programs have benefited more than a million individuals in the state of Arizona. For more information about the Arizona Foundation for Women, please call (602) 532-2800.

Funds Assist Programs Focused on Empowerment and Social Change for Women and Girls of Arizona.

The Arizona Foundation for Women, recently awarded six grants totaling $165,000 to organizations dedicated to serving the unmet needs of women and girls. The receiving organizations, Circles of Peace, Soul Sanctuary in the Desert, Wellcare Foundation, Community Alliance Against Family Abuse, Direct Caregiver Association and Helping Hands for Single Moms are dedicated to addressing the unmet needs of women and girls through programs focusing on empowerment and social change. Funds will enable these organizations to expand and enhance their current programs to better serve the Arizona community.

The Arizona Foundation for Women (AFW) offers two grants programs - The Deborah G. Carstens Fund and the Arizona Foundation for Women’s Social Change Grant Program.

The Deborah G. Carstens Fund provides grants to not-for-profit organizations that motivate and empower girls and women to take responsibility for their economic lives by developing skills, building self-esteem and identifying challenges that impede their success. The Deborah G Carstens Fund awarded grants to The Community Alliance Against Family Abuse, The Direct Caregiver Association and Helping Hands for Single Moms.

The Community Alliance Against Family Abuse was awarded a grant of $50,000. Citizens who saw a desperate need to address domestic violence in Pinal County founded the Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA) in 1998. This program works to empower detained female youth through education, support and wellness activities to lead violence-free, emotionally healthy lives upon release from detention. It is the only program working with girls in juvenile detention in the state.

The Direct Caregiver Association was awarded a grant of $30,000. Direct Caregiver Association is a nonprofit that brings together caregivers, employers, and consumers to solve the problems facing the long-term healthcare industry. The Association’s comprehensive model training program benefits economically disadvantaged individuals by providing them with the training and skills to attain a livable wage in one of the four fastest-growing fields nationally. Direct Caregiver Association operates in Pima County by training women to be Certified Nursing Assistants. Since 2002, they have graduate over 300 caregivers with an 89% employment rate upon graduation with an immediate wage increase of nearly 100%.

Helping Hands for Single Moms was awarded a grant of 35,000. Helping Hands for Single Moms is a nonprofit that empowers single mothers to independently provide for their families by assisting them in attaining a college education, affordable housing, and financial literacy.  While enrolled in college, each single mom family receives a combination of financial aid, money management and life skills training, and an abundance of care from a mentor.  Helping Hands began in 2001 as a pilot project with 1 single mom family.  After developing a solid program and recruiting a strong board, the organization grew and currently serve 19 families within the greater Phoenix metropolitan area.

Just Three is a program designed to facilitate a change in the individual behavior of low-income single moms by assisting them with obtaining a college degree and to leverage that degree with sound financial management skills and long-term asset building practices. The program was initiated in 2004 and provides a model program that promotes social change in the lives of single moms and in the academic, philanthropic, faith and business communities. Since 1998, nine single moms have graduated and increased their post-graduate income by an average of $16,000 annually.

The Arizona Foundation for Women’s Social Change Fund provides funding to address identified unmet needs of women and girls. Grant funding focuses upon innovative and/or model primary prevention programs. Programs must address social change so that women and girls may live free from fear and violence, attain self-reliance and achieve social equity. The Arizona Foundation for Women’s Social Change Fund awarded grants to Circles of Peace, Soul Sanctuary in the Desert and Wellcare Foundation.

Circle of Peace was awarded a grant of $25,000. Construyendo Circulos de Paz/Constructing Circles of Peace (CCP) is a unique domestic violence program that uses a restorative justice approach to reduce violent behavior in families. This program uses social justice to create opportunities for individuals, families and communities to reject violence and move towards emotional healing, accountability and growth. This program is a demonstration project in conjunction with the Santa Clara County Justice Court (Nogales) and New York University.

Soul Sanctuary in the Desert was awarded a grant of $10,000; $5,000 of the funding donated by Avnet, one of the largest distributors of electronic components, computer products and technology services and solutions. Founded in 2005, the Soul Sanctuary is a Phoenix-based nonprofit, actively working with families to break the repetitive cycle of substance abuse and domestic violence through helping parents of at-risk children to identify, process and resolve personal issues of co-dependence and addition while living in a transitional living environment and participating in a spiritual values development program.

Wellcare Foundation was awarded a grant of $15,000. Wellcare Foundation provides free integrated healthcare to single working mothers and their children who are not reliant on state assistance and cannot afford insurance or to pay for needed healthcare. The integrated comprehensive “body-mind-spirit” approach heals the whole person and provides much-needed physical, mental and emotional support. The Foundation’s healthcare services and education give patients the tools and support to achieve improved health leads to higher levels of self-reliance and achievement of personal goals and dreams of both the women and the children who come through the program.

Arizona Foundation for Women (AFW), a nonprofit dedicated to promoting innovative solutions to fulfill the unmet needs of Arizona’s women and children, welcomes nine new members to its board of directors. These women bring a wealth of experience, passion and commitment to enhancing the lives of women and children to create a better society for all. The new board members are: Vania Black, Cathy Eckstein, Victoria Glimcher, Linda Greiwe, Christine Muldoon, Sandi Perez, Anu Sahai, Tammy Weinbaum and Candace Wiest.

“We are very pleased to welcome this distinguished group of women to AFW. Our nine newest board members provide the experience and dedication needed to continue with AFW’s progress, “said President Laurel Stoimenoff.

A short biography of each board member follows:

Vania Black is Vice President of Human Resources for Telverde. Vania was instrumental in bridging the partnership between Televerde an AFW to create a donor advised fund. Vania supports women’s issues and is actively training for her second triathlon. This is her first board experience in the Phoenix area.

Cathy Eckstein is Chief Marketing Officer for Insight. Cathy has held leadership positions in marketing and strategy for 20 years. She is a CPA with a graduate degree in marketing and finance from the University of Chicago. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) and ATHENA PowerLink.

Victoria Glimcher is a community volunteer and leader. Victoria has a passion for women and girls issues and most recently was co-chair of the Sandra Day O’Connor Luncheon. She has served on committees for the Heart Ball, Jewell Ball for the American Cancer Society, Phoenix Symphony Gala, Drive the Dream for ChildHelp USA and Trends Charitable Fund.

Linda Greiwe is Senior Vice President of Advertising for the Arizona Republic. Linda joined Gannett in 1987 and has worked in several newspapers across the country. She holds an MBA from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Christine Muldoon is President of CM Communications. Christine has over 25 years of experience as an expert in persuasive communication. She is involved with ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, ASU’s Women and Philanthropy, the Grand Canyon Music Festival and NAWBO.

Sandi Perez is Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Relations for Delta Dental Foundation. Sandi joined Delta Dental Foundation in 2006. She previously has held leadership positions with organizations such as Social Venture Partners, BHHS Legacy Foundation and the AZ Community Foundation. She is actively engaged with the nonprofit community and last year served on the AFW Summit Planning Committee. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.

Anu Sahai is Managing Principal for Anew Capital Management. Anu has over 15 years of investment experience. She started Anew Capital Management in 2006, leaving ING after over 10 years to be the Portfolio Manager of Anew India Opportunity Fund. She has worked and lectured internationally. She was educated in India and is a member of the CFA Institute and American Mensa.

Tammy Weinbaum is Vice President/Business Leader, Merchant Services for American Express. Tammy has been with American Express for 16 years and is responsible for over 3,000 employees. She has been active with nonprofits such as United Way and is very interested in issues affecting women and girls.

Candace Wiest is Chief Executive Officer for West Valley National Bank. Candace is the founding chief executive officer of West Valley National Bank and a member of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Board, the only female to ever serve in that capacity. She is currently active with Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC) and West Valley business development organizations.