The History of SCP
Our Founder
Frances Young, a Navy Waves Veteran, and her family moved to Scottsdale when Frances’ husband purchased one of the only homes available in South Scottsdale when his work moved him to Phoenix. Frances turned the new 3-bedroom house into a home for their 6 children. In 1966, Frances became an ombudsman for the Yaqui community adjacent to Vista del Camino, when the community leaders asked St. Daniel’s Catholic Church nearby for help with the urgent housing and sewage problems. Frances helped create a church council that raised the money to buy the Yaqui community a sewer system and provide health and educational programs. A long-time champion of minorities’ rights, Frances worked tirelessly for 40 years to create a safer, healthier, more productive community. She embraced all people and was an advocate for their quality of life, whether Yaqui, Hispanic, Asian, Black or White.
Her contributions include establishing an English as a Second Language program in schools, starting Indian education, Head Start and Title I programs, and starting the Vista del Camino Community Center. She founded Concerned Citizens for Community Health in 1975 (located at Vista del Camino Center) to meet social service needs of low-income families. While serving on the city Human Services Commission, she helped initiate the utility bill donation fund and the Scottsdale Cares Program that gives more than $220,000 annually to nonprofit organizations.
Young has worked to create a safer, healthier, more productive community. The Paiute Neighborhood Center is a legacy to the work that she and commission members urged Scottsdale’s city staff members to undertake during the late 1980s to benefit Spanish speaking immigrants from Mexico. She strongly believed it takes a village. Frances was fondly known as the mayor of South Scottsdale. She summed up her life by saying, “I’ve gained far more than I ever gave”.
Throughout the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s until present day, Scottsdale Community Partners (formerly CCCH) has assisted the City of Scottsdale staff by encouraging the integration of all cultures into the community.
Frances lived and celebrated Scottsdale for more than 50 years. Today there are many who remember her for her unique spirit, leadership, diversity and commitment to advocacy. Frances passed away March 30, 2009. She is sorely missed in our community, but her legacy lives on with Scottsdale Community Partners nonprofit continuing her work helping the community in Scottsdale with their needs.
Our Story: How We Got Here
The Vista Auxiliary Board/Concerned Citizens for Community Health was formalized as an Arizona non-profit organization on February 15. Attorney Sid Rosen handled the incorporation paperwork, pro bono. Among its founders were Frances Young, Anne Rissi and Jim Fausel. Mr. Fausel served as the chair of the Health Services Advisory Committee, later CCCH, during 1976-77, and provided hours of liaison among ASU Nursing School, City of Scottsdale Officials and the CCCH board. CCCH (Now Scottsdale Community Partners) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization whose purpose was, and remains, to develop services for unmet needs in Scottsdale. CCCH has stimulated public awareness and promoted the establishment and expansion of health and welfare services in the community. The organization’s fundraising efforts provide emergency food, clothing, transportation, prescriptions, rent and utility assistance to hundreds of families in need each year. CCCH works in partnership with Vista del Camino and the City of Scottsdale Recreation and Human Services department to identify unmet needs in the community and to develop or enhance programs to effectively address those needs.
Although some of the facility opened at the end of the summer, other sections had to be repaired from the Aug. 14 fire damage. The entire Vista del Camino Community Center opened Friday, November 9. The new facility replaced the trailer that had been used to provide services to the Yaqui community in the surrounding neighborhood since 1969. A branch of the Scottsdale Public Library operated from the center for the first years it was open.
The Vista Medical Auxiliary Steering Committee hosted a community open house on Sunday, June 23 to introduce Scottsdale residents to the health clinic at the center. By the end of its first year, Vista del Camino had assisted over 8,000 clients with a variety of social services. The City of Scottsdale created the Vista del Camino Neighborhood Facility Advisory Board as a neighborhood sounding board and a group to recommend programs for the new center.
The Vista Medical Auxiliary Steering Committee hosted a community open house on Sunday, June 23 to introduce Scottsdale residents to the health clinic at the center. By the end of its first year, Vista del Camino had assisted over 8,000 clients with a variety of social services. The City of Scottsdale created the Vista del Camino Neighborhood Facility Advisory Board as a neighborhood sounding board and a group to recommend programs for the new center.
The Vista Auxiliary Board/Concerned Citizens for Community Health was formalized as an Arizona non-profit organization on February 15. Attorney Sid Rosen handled the incorporation paperwork, pro bono. Among its founders were Frances Young, Anne Rissi and Jim Fausel. Mr. Fausel served as the chair of the Health Services Advisory Committee, later CCCH, during 1976-77, and provided hours of liaison among ASU Nursing School, City of Scottsdale Officials and the CCCH board. CCCH (Now Scottsdale Community Partners) is an all-volunteer non-profit organization whose purpose was, and remains, to develop services for unmet needs in Scottsdale. CCCH has stimulated public awareness and promoted the establishment and expansion of health and welfare services in the community. The organization’s fundraising efforts provide emergency food, clothing, transportation, prescriptions, rent and utility assistance to hundreds of families in need each year. CCCH works in partnership with Vista del Camino and the City of Scottsdale Recreation and Human Services department to identify unmet needs in the community and to develop or enhance programs to effectively address those needs.
Due to discontinuation of grant funding that provided operational support from the ASU School of Nursing, the Vista del Camino Health Clinic closed. The Vista Del Camino Health Services Advisory Board (later renamed CCCH, now SCP) worked diligently with City, ASU, County and local hospital officials to find ways to reopen the clinic, and they were successful in reinstating the clinic in December 1976, according to minutes of the Health Services Advisory Board.
The Scottsdale City Council established a Human Services Task Force, which evaluated the services provided by Vista del Camino, the Civic Center Senior Center, Youth Services and any unmet community needs. They, along with city staff, developed the brokerage concept of service delivery – Vista del Camino would function as a citywide information and referral center, and provide facility space and support to non-profit organizations and other government agencies to provide services and counseling. The task force also recommended establishing a permanent Human Services Commission.
On May 23, Vista Health Services Auxiliary was officially recognized by the State of Arizona under a new non-profit name: Concerned Citizens for Community Health (CCCH). As an all-volunteer, non-profit 501 ( c ) 3 organization, CCCH’s mission is to develop services for unmet needs in Scottsdale. Concerned Citizens has stimulated public awareness and promoted the establishment and expansion of health and welfare services in the community. Since its inception, CCCH has raised and provided funds for use in alleviating the crisis needs of clients at Vista del Camino. The division of responsibility has always been that the City of Scottsdale provides the facility, social workers and staff at VDC, while CCCH provides funds that VDC social worked can dispense to provide emergency food, clothing, transportation, prescriptions, rent/mortgage assistance and utility bill assistance to hundreds of families in need each year.
A softball game between the Fraternal Order of Police and Playboy Bunnies benefitted Concerned Citizens for Community Health, with proceeds earmarked for funding a dental clinic. Two participants in the Fiesta Bowl Marathon also raised money for CCCH/Vista.
In May, the City of Scottsdale adopted the suggestion from the Human Services Commission and human services staff to begin the Scottsdale Cares Voluntary Utility Bill Donation Program. Residents receiving water/sewer/garbage utility service from the City of Scottsdale are offered the opportunity to add $1.00 a month to their utility bill that would go into a fund to be distributed to non-profits who provide services to Scottsdale residents. Priority areas for Scottsdale Cares funding were set to promote the positive development of youth, adults and seniors; strengthen the capability of families and the self-sufficiency of adults; and assist Scottsdale citizens of all ages in addressing crisis needs. Each year since Scottsdale Cares was established, Concerned Citizens for Community Health (Now SCP) has applied for, and received a grant, to provide emergency assistance to clients at Vista del Camino.
Frances Young, co-founder of Concerned Citizens for Community Health and long-time advocate for the Yaqui community and Vista del Camino, received the prestigious Diane LeVan Memorial Award at the Community Development Block Grant Breakfast in April. The award is named in honor of Diane LeVan, former program manager for the Community Planning and Development office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Phoenix.
Grants and donations through CCCH totaled $138,520 during FY 97/98, of which $35,100 was from Scottsdale residents participating in the Scottsdale Cares utility bill donation program. Scottsdale Cares funds provided emergency food, rent and utility assistance.
During FY 2002/01 Vista del Camino, upholding its founding principal of providing services through partnerships with outside government and non-profit agencies, partnered with and provided facility space to: AHCCCS, Arizona Department of Economic Security, the Brown Bag/Gleaners, Center Against Sexual Abuse, Concerned Citizens for Community Health, Food Plus, HEADSTART, Jewish Family and Children’s Services, Juvenile Probation, Salvation Army, Tempe Community Action Agency and VITA Tax Assistance. St. Vincent de Paul also collaborated with Vista. Vista del Camino, its staff and its clients also benefitted from over 4,449 hours of service provided by 62 dedicated community volunteers.
Concerned Citizens for Community Health published “The Yaquis of Scottsdale, Arizona: Family, Indomitable Spirit, Generosity,” a book that told the history – in text and rare photographs – of the Penjamo Yaquis of Scottsdale’s Vista del Camino neighborhood. The book also detailed the evolution of the Vista del Camino community center in the 1970s. Within a year of its publication, Yaqui language classes were offered at Vista del Camino. Vista del Camino staff member Daul Valenzuela championed both the Yaqui heritage book and language classes.
Connie James, who started her career as a social worker at Vista del Camino in 1978, retired as the City of Scottsdale Human Services Director, completing 30 years of serving Scottsdale citizens in need. It was merely a transition to volunteer work; she joined the board of Concerned Citizens for Community Health to continue her service to Vista del Camino and its thousands of clients in need.
Rock star and Scottsdale resident Nils Lofgren and his wife Amy arranged for a Fender guitar decorated with original art by Ralph Steadman to be auctioned off, with proceeds benefitting Concerned Citizens for Community Health for Vista del Camino.
Through partnerships with Maricopa County Human Services Department and the non-profit organization Concerned Citizens for Community Health (CCCH), thousands of families were able to have their crisis needs met. Together, these organizations support Vista Del Camino’s efforts to alleviate the crisis situations created by economic and other hardships. $554, 253 in total combined funds from Maricopa County and CCCH resulted in direct assistance to clients. In addition, the Valley of the Sun United Way provided nearly $100,000 in funds to support our career center and clients in intensive case management services. An additional 2,431 individuals and/or organizations donated $142,969 in cash and $189,610 in goods and services to CCCH which was used to support Scottsdale residents.
Among the programs and services provided at Vista del Camino as it entered its 40th year of operation were: needs assessment, information and referral; food bank; emergency food boxes; hydration station; eviction prevention rental assistance; emergency financial assistance for transportation, prescriptions and special needs; career center and job preparation program; back-to-school program and holiday adopt-a-family program. Many of these vital self-sufficiency programs were funded by Concerned Citizens for Community Health.
Concerned Citizens for Community Health celebrated its 40th anniversary. Co-founder Ann Rissi transitioned from active to legacy status on the CCCH board. Connie James retired as CCCH president at the April CCCH annual meeting; Holly Snopko was elected board president. Jenny Adams was hired as CCCH executive director in September.
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