Desert Charities News - Jan-Feb-Mar 2024

Page 43 Desert Charities News – www .desertcharities.com • www.dcnnews.com January/February/March 2024 n BNP PARIBAS OPEN DONATES Continued from page 16 n JO ROSEN Continued from page 36 www.trilussarestaurant.com www.trilussarestaurant.com www.sammygsrestaurant.com . t r t.c 50 organizations each year as selected through an annual application process. Past grant recipients include the Boys & Girls Club, Desert Cancer Foundation, Make-A-Wish, and Family YMCA of the Desert. The full list of 2023 recipients will be announced in December. Following the completion of this 2023 grant cycle, The Champions Volunteer Foundation has now raised and donated a total of nearly $4 million since its inception in 2002. “We are so proud to see the significant economic impact of the BNP Paribas Open be used to give back to the community that our tournament calls home,” said Philippe Dore, Chief Marketing Officer of the BNP Paribas Open. “It’s great to see that 2023 was TCVF’s most successful year yet, and we look forward to making an even bigger impact next year.” In addition to awarding annual non-profit grants, the Foundation supports and engages the community by organizing volunteer operations for the BNP Paribas Open. TCVF recruits more than 1,200 volunteers to support the tournament each March. To learn more about The Champions Volunteer Foundation and how to donate or get involved, please visit championsvolunteerfoundation.org. responded to titles, so she gave herself the title of President and created Parkinson’s Resource Organization (PRO). It worked! Sadly, Rosen lost her mother to Parkinson’s in 1992 and her beloved husband Alan died of Parkinson’s in 2007. Then in 2008, the recession brought Parkinson’s Resource Organization to the brink of ruin. Despite these challenges, Parkinson’s Resource Organization has survived and thrived – today PRO serves tens of thousands of families across the country and across the world. Currently PRO runs 20+ support groups a month for Parkinson’s caregivers and families including Mindfulness, Grief, and Movement practices. In addition, a robust Wellness Village Resource Directory connects today’s Parkinson’s families with services and providers. “During all my years at the helm of PRO,” states Rosen, “I have fielded phone calls from people on the brink of bankruptcy, on the brink of suicide, battling homelessness, battling pain, battling loneliness, and even those who were financially successful but had no idea where to turn for help. At the same time, I watched billions of dollars diverted to as-yet-unrealized research for a cure, while direct human service endeavors like ours scrape by on pennies.” “So why keep PRO going?” Says Rosen. “It’s simple. because the scourge of Parkinson’s keeps on growing. Just last week, a constituent called with a question about an app we recommended in our Newsworthy Notes Newsletter (incidentally, the longest-running monthly newsletter for the Parkinson’s community). Before she hung up, she said, “By the way, you saved my life.” Sadly, she’s not alone.” “‘I’m moving on to new challenges while retaining my association with PRO and will continue to serve the Parkinson’s community,” says Rosen. “My place will be taken by Eileen Lynch who is already a tremendous asset to PRO.” “Jo has been a passionate and powerful mentor,” says Lynch. “Because of her creativity and leadership, we at Parkinson’s Resource Organization have an incredible base to build on.” Visit our website at: parkinsonsresource.org www.dcnnews.com