Tucson’s resident Angels are planning a miraculous Mediterranean get-away that you don’t have to go far to enjoy: Sips & Sunsets will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 27 at Omni Tucson National Resort.
“The vibe is an opportunity to take a vacation on a Sunday evening. We want to transport our guests to a Mediterranean island for the evening and provide all the opportunities they would enjoy on vacation, with wining, dining, shopping and the company of others. We are envisioning an immersive experience where donors can take a break from hectic everyday life and join us in supporting our beneficiaries“ said Vicky Curtis, 2025 General Chair for Angel Charity for Children.
The newly-created event marks the first fundraiser of the year for the nonprofit, which seeks to raise a record $1.75 million for local children’s charities in 2025. Curtis said the Angels are very excited to add the fresh, casual evening to their line-up of annual fundraisers and events which includes the Big Deal Poker Party, Chance Raffle ticket sales and the Angel Ball.
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“This will be a very immersive experience with lots of opportunity to mix and mingle with our members, donors and beneficiaries. The heart of what we do is fundraising on behalf of the wonderful agencies that we support and we are so excited to have them as part of the event,” Curtis said.
Primary beneficiaries include Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona, which will receive an Impact Grant of $856,697 to renovate a newly-purchased Mentoring Activity Center.
The center will serve as a hub of connection, learning and growth with activities such as cooking classes; gardening; ping pong; a library; a full kitchen; a video gaming center; an outdoor patio and more.
“It is a unique offering. There are only several centers like this in the country. It will allow ‘Bigs’ (mentors) to meet their ‘Littles’ (mentees) at the center instead of having to organize meet-ups elsewhere in the community. Big Brothers Big Sisters will have organized activities and open hours during which Bigs and Littles can come by and hang out,” Curtis said.
The facility will be a game-changer for the nonprofit that will serve at least 400 youth this year, according to Veronica Saiz, its director of marketing and corporate engagement.
With 200 Littles — the majority of whom are boys — awaiting partnership with Bigs, Saiz said the center is designed to engage more volunteers and to promote community and camaraderie amongst existing Bigs and Littles.
“Something we encounter now is that community partners, businesses and companies sponsor events and want their employees to become active volunteers, but logistics can make it difficult. The Mentoring Activity Center means we will be able to host groups and have group mentoring experiences where volunteers can come engage with kiddos. They can connect with a young person and come to the realization that ‘If this is what it means to be a Big, I can do this,’ ” Saiz said.
She emphasized that BBBSSA is beyond grateful for the $33 million in support that Angel Charity for Children has provided to so many local children’s nonprofits over the past 43 years.
“This organization is just an incredible force for the Tucson community. These are human beings with huge hearts who are passionate about nonprofits that work with youth. They not only support them financially — which is huge — but also promote awareness about them and their needs. We are looking forward to a year with great events and awesome fundraising and the ability to be elevated by this gem in our community,” Saiz said.
San Miguel High School, which will receive $568,000 to purchase four vans and two minibuses to transport students to the Corporate Work Study Program. Recipients of six Opportunity Grants totaling a collective sum of $327,841 include Angel Heart Pajama Project ($20,000); Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation ($75,000); Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum ($72,000); Hope Kids ($15,000); Literacy Connects ($74,957); and Spreading Threads Clothing Bank ($70,884).
The Angels are excited to kick-start fundraising and highlight beneficiaries while also expanding their reach in northwest Tucson, said Brittany Smith, who chairs Sips & Sunsets.
“Omni Tucson National has a rich history in the Tucson community and we are excited to bring what we do to for our beneficiaries to the forefront and potentially attract a new audience with folks who attend and may want to partner with us as members or new sponsors. There is lots of potential for growth and we are excited about that,” Smith said.
