2023
Chapter 66 has been awarded the following 2023 Pioneers Don MacKenzie Charitable Foundation Fund Grants. Congratulations to everyone and thank you for all your hard work and dedication to our communities.

New Mexico Combined Club
– Children’s Homes Christmas Party

Phoenix Thunderbird Combined Club
– Acacia Elementary School – Back to School Project
– Acacia Elementary School – Read to Ride Project
– Cross Christian Academy
– Hug-A-Bears
– Recreation Therapy Program VA Campus

Southern AZ Combined Club
– Arizona School Deaf Blind Beeping Egg Hunt
– Emerge Luggage & Personal Hygiene Project
– Hug-A-Bears
– Readers For Life
– School Supply Drive
– Stocking Project

Chapter 66
– Hope’s Women’s Center

We have the ability to apply for grants each year for our various projects. This money comes from the Don MacKenzie investment fund. The amount Legacy West chapters receive depends on the group membership count.

A big place to sign people up is the new Family and Friends category where we can enroll any volunteer whether they are company employees or retired members or friends or family members-anyone who is interested in participating with us. We have a lot of volunteers helping us that haven’t worked for the Bell system, and they are all potential Pioneer members.

When we receive a grant for one of our projects, certain dates are given as when to apply, when and how to spend and how to show it as a completed grant. As soon as we receive a grant, the timeline has begun.
A very important feature is the record keeping. The project leader needs to keep receipts, how many volunteers are involved, etc. Closing the grant must be complete by December 31st of each year. This report must be in our group leaders’ hands by that date. It needs to go thru the chapter presidents’ hands, the treasurers’ hands, then sent to the Legacy West group and to accounting by that date. Unfortunately, the dates fall during the Holiday season. If we work on these grants as soon as possible, we can have all paper work done sooner than later
Many Pioneers do not realize how and what DMI money is. This is funding that comes from Pioneers making donations that are solicited from Headquarters, the mailings and emails we all get. Pioneers is a self-funded non-profit. Pioneers has not received sponsorship funding from the various telephone companies since 2011. Some companies still support their Pioneers through dues collection, project grants, etc, but none put money into the headquarters organization as in days of old. Donations Pioneers make through headquarters supports the whole organization, but a majority of the donation comes directly back to the chapter of the state where the donor resides. Many clubs depend solely on this funding to do their projects. A Pioneer donation through headquarters is a way to support Pioneers, your local club, your chapter and your community by continuing the work Pioneers have been doing for over 111 years.

For questions or help with grant applications, please contact
Nancy Byars – (520) 203-1195 – hlfg55@gmail.com

Thanks for all of your dedication and hard you all put in.

Barbara