BECOME A PARTNER

The Arizona Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE) has worked with Public Allies Arizona (PAAZ) for the past two years.  Through their hard work and willingness to take on any project that was asked of them, the Allies have helped the ACPE to show a steady increase in the number of high schools participating in the College and Career Goal Arizona programs over the past two years.  These programs help students at Title I schools complete the two most important applications of their lives: 1) an application for a postsecondary education experience and 2) the Free Application for Student Financial Assistance (FAFSA). Allies working with the Commission have been put in charge of various projects that once the outcomes were explained required little supervision.  Through the training offered through PAAZ, the Allies have grown in their abilities and have been an asset to the agency. The Commission looks forward to continuing its relationship with Public Allies of Arizona.

YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix is one of Public Allies Arizona’s newest partner organizations. They came to Public Allies Arizona in 2018 looking for assistance in expanding the reach of their Own It Financial Education Program to 675 participants and 50 partnering agencies, while also assisting in developing and executing related financial education series.

The YWCA was matched with Public Allies Arizona Ally Elsa Gebreyohanes for the 2018-2019 program year. Over the course of the program year, Elsa helped the YWCA offer their Own It Financial Education Program in collaboration with over 40 community organizations and reach approximately 800 individuals, of which more than 85% of the participants reported achieving their goals set in the program.

After their first time hosting an Ally, Supervisor Natasha Lopez Rodriguez commented that: “Elsa was an amazing Public Ally. I was very fortunate to have clicked personally with her the moment we met in the speed interview process. I feel honored to have been her supervisor and mentor through this process. She is definitely going places and I feel honored again for being part of her professional journey.”

Experience Matters is a nonprofit organization that has serviced the Arizona community since 2009 by connecting experienced adults with the diverse needs of nonprofit organizations. In 2018, Experience Matters has reported having had an impact on “581 nonprofit organizations and prepared skilled professionals to engage in a variety of nonprofit capacity building projects.” Assisting with that goal has been a role of the Allies that Experience Matters has hosted. Supervisor Jeanne-Marie Hill has shared the difference an Ally can make: “[Our Ally] has brought our small organization a new energy and a sense of family. She relates easily to all ages and types of personalities; she really has had a unifying impact on our organization. She is extremely talented in the area of community outreach and making presentations at our monthly ‘coffee tall’ recruitment events. [Our Ally] has been a great asset to our organization.”