Families-In-Need Encouraged to Apply for Free Pool Fences
Child Crisis Arizona, SRP and United Phoenix Firefighters Charities Launch the 2023 Pool Fence Safety Program
As the weather warms up, swimming is top of mind for children and families looking for a fun way to escape the heat. Drowning is the leading cause of death in children under the age of four in Arizona. Child Crisis Arizona, Salt River Project (SRP) and the United Phoenix Firefighter Charities (UPFC) are working together to prevent childhood drownings through the 2023 Pool Fence Safety Program.
“The Pool Fence Safety Program is a wonderful opportunity to create awareness and keep children safe around water,” said Caitlin Sageng, Director of Special Projects & Family Resources at Child Crisis Arizona. “The program provides funding for families that are financially unable to afford pool barriers and have young children.”
Families living in Maricopa County can apply to be awarded a new pool fence at no cost if they meet certain eligibility criteria. The application process officially opened and closes on May 26, 2023.
"As the largest provider of water in the Valley for the past century, water safety is paramount at SRP. Research shows that secure pool fencing can prevent about 75 percent of water-related drownings of unsupervised children," said SRP Community Engagement Strategist Rori Minor. "SRP is committed to improving the quality of life for the people we serve. Through our various drowning-prevention outreach programs and contributions, we hope to help provide parents with the education and resources they need to keep their children safe around water."
The total sponsorship is $35,000. Twenty-five thousand is funded by SRP and the UPFC pledges to raise $10,000 to support the program.
"The installation of pool barriers continues to be a key factor in the prevention of child drownings, said David Ramirez with United Phoenix Firefighters Charities. "There is nothing more aggressive in preventing tragedies than putting in a pool fence. Child drownings are truly a community problem. We are encouraged to have organizations like SRP and Child Crisis Arizona step up and lead this effort."
Applications are available in both English and Spanish. Families may apply on the Child Crisis Arizona website, childcrisisaz.org/pool-fence-safety-program
Requirements:
· Must have a child six-years old or younger living in the home
· Home must be owner-occupied, no renters
· Family must reside within Maricopa County
· Family must be income-qualified. Participation in one of the following assistance programs will be used to verify income eligibility: Food stamps, Medicaid, WIC, Energy Assistance, or Unemployment.
· If the family is not enrolled in one of the assistance programs, household income will be considered and your 2022 tax return will be used to verify income eligibility
About SRP
SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest electricity provider in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving approximately 1.1 million customers. SRP provides water to about half of the Valley’s residents, delivering more than 244 billion gallons of water (750,000 acre-feet) each year, and manages a 13,000-square-mile watershed that includes an extensive system of reservoirs, wells, canals and irrigation laterals.
About Child Crisis Arizona
Child Crisis Arizona is home to Safe Kids Maricopa County, the local chapter for a worldwide organization aiming to prevent childhood injury and death. Child Crisis Arizona’s vision is safe kids and strong families. We provide thousands of nights of safety and security for children in the foster care system from birth through age 21 in our Emergency Children’s Shelters, teenage group home and Independent Living homes. We also have one of the largest foster care and adoption programs to license, train and certify individuals and families interested in providing a home to a child in need. We create strong and successful families through our counseling programs, classes and workshops, and early education services. Learn more at childcrisisaz.org.
About United Phoenix Firefighters Charities
The United Phoenix Firefighters Charities was organized in 1964 and consists of more than 2600 professional fire fighters across the Valley, in Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale, Chandler and Peoria. Since becoming a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, relationships have been built and partnerships established with community leaders, private businesses, citizens, other nonprofits and for-profit organizations to improve the lives of the community we serve. Along with our supporters, the UPFC has had life-changing impacts on the valley. To learn more, visit phxffcharities.org.