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3 diversity champions honored on eve of MLK Day BY J. GRABER Progress Staff Writer
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ith 38 years in higher education, Chris Haines, interim president of Scottsdale Community College, has led educational initiatives designed to support marginalized and atrisk populations to reduce barriers to access, such as the Hannelly Center One Stop Enrollment Center at Phoenix College and launching scholarships for DACA/Dreamer students. As co-founder and president of ONE Community & ONE Community Foundation, Angela Hughey exemplifies leadership through her work within the LGBTQ+ community and the broader business and political communities in Arizona. Alan “AP” Powell, chairman and CEO of
Alan Powell AP & Associates, is a serial entrepreneur, Gulf War Veteran, philanthropist and a renowned strategic consultant developing relationships for Fortune 500 companies. His non-profit, HeroZona, has hosted a
sity 2022 champions. Diversity Champions are individuals who exemplify the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and who have enriched the community by empowering others. Eligible nominees must work, live or volunteer in Scottsdale. “It’s a tremendous honor to be in the same category as Angela Hughey and Alan Powell. I’m in awe of both Chris Haines Angela Hughey of those guys so it’s really an honor,” Haines said. series of Bridge Forums in an effort to unAll three were honored at a dinner last derstand different perspectives, attitudes week hosted by Communities Celebrating and beliefs about community policing. Haines, Hughey and Powell were all see MLK page 21 named Communities Celebrating Diver-
Scottsdale nonprofit endorses ‘Betty White Challenge’
BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer
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Scottsdale nonprofit is encouraging people to join a nationwide effort to honor the recently deceased actress Betty White on what would have been her 100th birthday tomorrow, Jan. 17. The “Betty White Challenge” – which encourages people to donate $10 or more in the star’s name to an animal rescue or shelter in her name – has gone viral on social media and caught the attention of Two Pups Wellness Funds co-founder Bip Haley. “This is a nice opportunity to make the public aware of what is going on out there and make them aware of how great she was,” said Haley. Noting that White “really was an animal lover and advocate,” Haley said, “She gave a lot of her hard-earned money to animal organizations to help them help the animals, I just love that.”
Two Pups Wellness Fund co-founder Bip Haley hopes that people open their hearts and their wallets to support animal-based organizations on what would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday. (Special to the Progress)
Two Pups Wellness Fund works with different rescues and shelters throughout the state of Arizona,” said Haley. “When there is an injured, abandoned or neglected pet in need of medical assistance, they usually end up at a shelter and these shelters do not have the funds nor the equipment to do these big surgeries. “The only way that animal has any chance is by getting rescued by one of their partners or a family.” Additionally, the Two Pups Wellness Fund is aiming to donate funds to struggling animal organizations. “We help the underdogs, we help all of those that are struggling and live month to month but don’t stop because their hearts can’t stop,” said Haley. Haley hopes that the challenge will highlight serious issues that animals have faced over the past two years. “When everything shut down during the pandemic, vets became appointment only and a lot of people could not afford that,”
she said. “Because of that, the low-cost vets and clinics had to stop so there was almost a year where dogs were not getting spayed or neutered because there was no free clinic or low-cost clinic.” Though most animals have been caught up on getting spayed and neutered, more people who housed an animal from a shelter are losing their own homes and are being forced to move into an apartment complex that does not allow pets. “Now that people are in a position where the stimulus packages are gone and they are losing their homes, meaning that their pets have nowhere to go. We’re seeing a lot of returns,” Haley said. Haley also noted that there is a strong need for funding among organizations. “The lack of being able to fundraise has also hit a lot of different organizations big and small,” she said. “If they can’t go out there and fundraise, then they cannot
see PUPS page 21
