Volunteerism
The APS Volunteer Program is active in the more than 200 cities and towns in Arizona served by APS as well as northwestern New Mexico, where APS is a major employer. All it takes for a community, school or other non-profit organization to benefit from the APS Volunteer Program is the presence of a single employee or retiree who wants to contribute his or her time and talents to help others. APS employees, friends and family donated nearly 170,000 hours in 2006.

	In April 2006, APS was presented with the Community Sustainer Award by the Volunteer Center and the Business Journal at the fourth annual Corporate Volunteerism Awards held in Phoenix.

The APS Volunteer Program sponsors and supports efforts ranging from non-profit organizations supported by small, loosely organized teams to projects that involve hundreds of employees, retirees and their families in dozens of communities.

Volunteer projects may be initiated by employees anywhere in the company, regardless of their job classification, work location or time with the company. APS also has a full-time Volunteer Program Coordinator whose job includes identifying and organizing volunteer projects and partnerships.

Below, we've included a list of only a handful of the many projects and hours invested by APS volunteers. In many instances, these charitable projects span more than a decade, bringing annual support to non-profits. Frequently, APS volunteers are leaders setting the course for these events. Among the most notable are the chambers of commerce, United Way, the Boys and Girls Club and the Fiesta Bowl. But the list, which isn't comprehensive, doesn't begin to describe the hard work of our volunteers:

• American Cancer Society – In February 2006, 11 APS teams totaling 500 APS employees, friends and family members participated in the Climb to Conquer Cancer at Phoenix’s South Mountain Park. In August, 75 APS employees, friends and family members made the 7-mile trek up the Arizona Snowbowl near Flagstaff. Through these events, participants raised more than $55,000 for the American Cancer Society. APS has participated for more than 20 years.
• American Diabetes Association – APS volunteers have been instrumental in the planning and implementation of the ADA’s key fundraising events – America’s Walk for Diabetes, Tour de Cure and Team Diabetes. Jack Davis, APS CEO, served as Walk chairman in 2004 and 2005. The Power Peddlers, APS bicycle team help plan and participate in the Tour de Cure, and other APS employees served on planning committees. Team APS has contributed more than $60,000 in donations and in-kind services.
• American Heart Association – in 2006, more than 40 Team APS members participated in the Heart Walk, collecting nearly $12,000. These funds supported research, education and community outreach by the AHA.
• Back-to-School Clothing Drive Association – APS volunteers impacted the lives of more than 4,300 low-income children through this organization by distributing clothes, shoes and a back-pack filled with personal hygiene items. APS has participated for more than 10 years, and APS employees serve on the board.
• Black Heritage Celebration – Drawing a large attendance, APS volunteers supported this event, which funds two $1,000 scholarships for Phoenix-area students. The celbration began in 1999.
• Day for Downtown – APS volunteers joined a city-wide effort to beautify downtown Phoenix producing 2,600 community service hours to 19 non-profit organizations and schools. APS employees did interior painting at KEYS Community Center, a non-profit agency that offers pre-school, after-school, youth development and GED programs.
• Holiday Food Drive – APS employees and retirees collected more than $16,200 and 3,000 cans of food to benefit St. Mary’s/Westside Food Bank Alliance. Our employee’s generous donations helped provide more than 113,484 meals to families in need.
• Junior Achievement – APS volunteers are directly involved in the education process by being in the classroom and teaching students about topics such as entrepreneurship, personal finance, career exploration and economics. Volunteers also participated in the Hula Bowl, an annual bowl-a-thon, in which APS employees raised $6,100 in 2006, plus an additional $615 in company-paid registration fees to send nearly 200 Arizona children to Junior Achievement, a non-profit economic education program.
• Pappas School – Thirty APS volunteers brightened the lives of the 750 homeless children in grades K-6 attending Thomas J. Pappas School by coordinating a Fall Festival, complete with games and face painting by the APS Clown Troupe. In addition, volunteers donated items to stuff goodie bags with healthy treats and hygiene items for each of the kids.
• Ronald McDonald House – For years, APS volunteers have cooked meals for the resident families at Ronald McDonald House. For families with children in the hospital, this is just one way APS Volunteers can make their lives a little less stressful. By providing dinner to the families three times a month, APS Volunteers are helping to feed over 3,000 families per year.
• The Salvation Army – volunteers provided donated items, supported holiday activities such as the Turkey Drive and Christmas Angel project and provided bell ringers. APS employees also serve on the board.
• Santa Letters – More than 90 APS volunteers, also known as Santa’s elves, answered more than 700 letters in December from boys and girls of all ages.
• Smoke Alarm Awareness Project – Armed with screwdrivers and fresh batteries, APS volunteers, along with City of Phoenix firefighters, worked to install 340 smoke alarms in one day during the Smoke Alarm Awareness Project. The project was created to install new smoke alarms in homes without alarms and test and change batteries of existing alarms.
• Special Olympics – In 2006, about 60 APS Volunteers helped to coordinate the Special Olympics Indoor Athletics for over 75 special athletes. APS volunteers have participated in this event for more than 20 years, and employees serve on the board.
• St. Mary’s/Westside Food Bank Steak Fry – In 2006, 94 APS employees, friends and family cooked, served, and bused tables to fight hunger. Volunteers served 867 people, earning $15,100 for the non-profit. APS volunteers have worked the steak fry for more than 16 years.
• Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure – Team APS, with more than 170 employees, their family and friends, joined more than 38,000 other participants in downtown Phoenix at the 14^th annual Race for the Cure. The event raises money to fund breast cancer treatment and research. Team APS raised more than $4,000 for the event.

APS Volunteer Clown Troupe
The APS Volunteer Clown Troupe consists of more than 125 employees and family members who each perform a minimum of 50 hours of community service activities annually throughout Arizona and northwest New Mexico.

An outgrowth of APS’ volunteer program, the clown troupe was established in 1989 by a group of employees who, through their involvement in volunteer activities, identified the need for a group of creative, positive individuals who could entertain at fundraisers and special events for the elderly, disabled, disadvantaged, children, hospitals and non-profit organizations. The Troupe entertains thousands each year and is widely known in the Valley for its performances in the APS Fiesta of Light Parade, Fiesta Bowl Parade and Parada del Sol.

See our APS Volunteer Clown Troupe section for more information.