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DeFusco Law arms 18 teachers with supply funds BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer
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eFusco Law firm awarded 18 teachers in the Scottsdale Unified School District $300 stipends to use toward school supplies this year. The Scottsdale firm does this twice a year and awards 10 teachers with stipends. But this year, the firm allocated additional funds to its effort through a recently settled claim referred to the firm by a Cocopah Middle School staff member. “This round was different,” said Bryn K. DeFusco, who founded DeFusco Law with her husband Andy in 2016. “We decided we would donate our fees back to the school district and we thought what better way than through
see SUPPLIES page 21
Bryn K. DeFusco has been offering $300 stipends to 10 teachers since 2018 but opted to award 18 teachers this year. (Courtesy of Greg Sexton)
Marcia DeMuro, who teaches advanced engineering and in the STEM lab at Cocopah Middle School, used her stipend to get new tripods and circle lights to assist with her video production classes. (Courtesy of Greg Sexton)
Giving Group makes big impact on charities BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer
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he Giving Group AZ is a philanthropic group that meets every 90 days to decide which charity to award a grand prize of $10,000 to. Consisting of over 110 members who contribute $100 every three months, the group has found that everything has gone according to plan despite the uncertainty and chaos brought on by the pandemic. “In 2017, we started the Giving Group AZ and it’s been going exactly according to plan,” the group’s founder Brain Yampolsky said. Yampolsky started out with a simple plan to get the group to 100 members, which took him about a year to achieve. “When you get 100 people together
Marking the award of the grand prize to Aid for Adoption of Special Kids in May 2019 are, from left, Mallory Reis, Julie Turko of Adoption of Special Kids, Brian Yampolsky, Alan Graham and Sasha Graham. (Courtesy of Brian Yampolsky)
and they each contribute $100, you get $10,000 that can make an impact on some local nonprofits,” he said. Through word of mouth and staying active on social media platforms like Facebook, Yampolsky has found a way to keep his group growing and maintain over 100 members. “Our recruiting has been 100 percent through word of mouth and social media,” Yampolsky said. “I started with friends in my closest circle and once I recruited them, I asked them for their help in finding new members.” Now that he has a consistent base, the challenge Yampolsky is faced with every 90 days is keeping members engaged and growing the group. “It’s a consistent effort to remind peo-
see GIVING page 22
