My Nonprofit Reviews

Positive Network Alliance (PNA) is extremely effective at leveraging donations with volunteers' efforts to reach the maximum number of at risk youth. It started with Santa (Patrick de Haan) creating the Homeless Christmas Tree in central Phoenix. Children played games, put ornaments on a living tree with the help of bucket lift from the local electricity company, picked and wrapped gifts for family members, had live entertainment, were fed a meal, then met Santa & received their gift. Everything was set up to enrich the children beyond getting a gift. Arizona's Governor usually attended the event each year.

Seeing much more need than could be met with a one day event, Santa reached out to individuals & corporations for support to create the event in a large retail space for whole month of December. Instead of benefiting only 900 children, this event was available to reach up to 25,000 children. Santa researched the 25 lowest income elementary schools, then offered this event to the Principals. Every Principal jumped at the chance for their children to participate in such a positive event. On the weekends, were for families of military, police, or fire department.

Santa added The University of Tomorrow where every student receives an 'I Can Graduate' diploma. North Pole Post Office where they write & mail their letters to Santa. The Wheel of Positive Attitude has each student spin the wheel and the group shouts the students name & that he/she is whatever the positive attribute is. The Wall of Dreams has each student draw or write their dream on a CD which is attached to the wall. In the past, Phoenix Art Museum has then displayed the Wall of Dreams in its gallery.

As school budgets became so tight that the schools could not afford to bus the children to the event, Santa made the event mobile setting it up in a different school each day of December. Local businesses and high schools gladly volunteer the huge amount of labor needed to set up & re-pack the now portable event. It is remarkable how this understanding of the need coupled with grass roots efforts has become such a large event.