“The building was originally quoted for a pre-pandemic price of $510,000 and we raised it – we got there,” she said. but someone told me not to get too excited because of supply chain issues and COVID and costs we’re back it’s a little over a million everything doubled Did.”

Bass said it took PPEP and its partners a minute to think about increasing costs before deciding they could hit their goals once and again.

“So we kept raising money, we kept talking to people, and here we are — we’re very close to being fully funded,” she said.

As of Wednesday, PPEP has received $90,000 from the Community Food Bank of Arizona. $90,000 from USDA. $275,000 from the Burton Family Foundation. $300,000 from Pima County. Approximately $250,000 from local fundraising, small grants, the Amado Chile Cookoff, and donations from local churches and organizations (such as the Tubac Rotary and the Greater Green Valley Community Foundation).

Tony Bruno, PPEP Amad Prevention and Youth Center Coordinator, said HVAC delays and power transformers were among the unexpected cost implications.

“(Tucson Electric Power) needed a bigger transformer than originally expected,” he said. “And I think that added $40,000 to the budget. Recently, in terms of nationwide shortages and rising costs, commercial HVAC systems have had problems and are on the waiting list. It’s on the HVAC system.”

HVAC delays are holding back some work, including vinyl floors. Bruno said flooring cannot be placed without a cooling system to keep it firmly attached to the floor during installation.

Overall, PPEP has raised just over $1 million from Amado Youth Center funding sources. The group hopes to raise $1.3 million, but Bass said it covers “everything” they want.

PPEP founder and CEO John David Arnold agreed to use the PPEP line of credit to complete the project, and she continues to seek grants to pay it back, Bass said. said.

“(Bruno) is doing a great job locally,” Bass said. “We need a few more grants. I just wrote a grant to Pima County. Pima County has been great for us.”

On Tuesday, the county’s Board of Supervisors approved an allocation of $25,000 from the Community Development Block Grant Program, part of the county’s $300,000 funding.

Bruno added that the $300,000 was in addition to site development, land and septic tank work.

“And that was another $75,000,” Bass added of the septic tank’s value. “So $375,000 is what[the county]has.”

Bass expects the center to open its doors to Amado’s youth in July, but she said a grand opening is likely in September when temperatures begin to drop.

“What happened in Amado is truly a miracle,” said Arnold. “Sometimes in a big city you can’t do what the people of Ahmad have done.”

PPEP originally contacted the Sahuarita Unified School District and Pima County in June 2018 to discuss initial plans to build a youth center to replace the previous center in a building next to the Cow Palace restaurant.

The vacant old building had its own set of problems.

“It was a very old structure, so when we were showing movie night and someone got up and used the bathroom and turned the lights on, all the lights were on,” Bass said. “Or I plugged in everything for the TV, turned on the microwave, and it all blew. There were stray cats there, and the building had holes and dirt all the time.” rice field.”

PPEP’s June 2018 meeting with SUSD and the county went well, but a storm that year’s Labor Day weekend brought 5 inches of rain in 90 minutes, wiping out the Cow Palace and surrounding businesses, including youth. After the flooding, plans for a new youth center became more urgent. center.

“Conversations were starting, but it didn’t really work until the floods happened,” Bass said. “So the flood was a blessing in disguise.”

Bruno added that he met with SUSD and Pima County to formulate next steps just three weeks before the floods.

Bruno said the youth center’s program eventually spread throughout the community after the floods, with leaders working out of their cars.

“Fortunately, the community met us with open arms and within weeks provided us with office space inside the Borderlands (Universal Unitarian) church. provided it.”

Bass said the support came in all forms, from donations to awareness raising. She cited Sopoli Elementary School Principal Robert Beechey as one of the supporters who acted as an advocate for the youth center’s efforts.

“I think the youth center will be a great asset for our children and the school community,” Beachy said Wednesday outside the new youth center. We have schools, youth centers, swimming pools, parks, all of which are revitalized. Schools are the heart of the community, they are like centers of learning.”

Bass also said the support of supervisor Sharon Bronson for the project was essential given Pima County’s involvement in the entire process.

“It’s been an amazing adventure,” Bronson said of the trip from pre-flood to post-flood. “But now we’re close to something new. I couldn’t be more excited. And we worked on it together. This is what you do. It’s a partnership.” “

Bronson added that it is the rural areas that keep her engaged and active. Her sprawling Tertiary District covers Amado, Arivaca, Ajo, Robles Junction, and other unincorporated communities west and southwest of Tucson.

“The county is meant to serve unincorporated areas, and these are my preferences,” she said. Because it’s the people in the community who work to get it done.”

Bruno said the success of the Youth Center project has also encouraged other rural communities to achieve their key goals.

“It’s permanent and here it is. I went to this school and played Pop Warner football, baseball, 4-H, FFA and soccer.” We don’t mean to disrespect, but we’re here to provide young people with a service they can’t get anywhere else in this community.”

Bruno realized that the whole youth center project would open many doors and create connections for the small community in the future.

Bass highlighted one small trip to the bowling alley through a donation from Green Valley’s BAJA Sports Club. She said 18 of her children have been on the trip, and she noted that only four have ever set foot in a bowling alley.

“Having the Youth Center and the Amado Community Alliance here has allowed us to bring young people out of Amado, which is special to me,” said Bruno. “These kids can’t leave here. They can’t see the world out there. They’re stuck here. And unless we show them that world, It will never improve their standard of living or income…Poverty is rectified by education, and that is what we are providing in many ways.”