SEPTEMBER 2017 26 | FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM Cardinals Charities has worked to improve the lives of Arizona’s children, women and minorities for nearly 30 years — hoping to maximize its impact by focusing on specific causes. “There are so many valuable and worthwhile causes both in our own community and beyond,” said Cardinals owner Nicole Bidwill. “With Cardinals Charities, it was important for us to target our efforts in those three specific areas so that we could try to maximize our resources to have the greatest impact.” These efforts and values are instilled in all of those in the organization, ensuring that all those associated with the team are as invested in the state of Arizona as the state is in them. “People look to their hometown teams things for many things,” Bidwill said. “Hopefully through our play on the field we can provide them with tremendous enjoyment and excitement. We also have the ability to instill pride and at times provide inspiration. But we also enjoy a unique leadership position and are expected to do things the right way, in part because others often model that. That’s certainly the case with philanthropy and giving back and why we see it as so important.” For Bidwill, the philanthropic efforts hit close to home as she incorporates her therapy dog, Barney, into many of the team’s community relations activities — like hospital visits. “So often we visit kids in the hospital and they may be having a really tough day but when they see this big, nearly 200-pound St. Bernard walk into the room everything changes and they light up,” she said. “Even if it’s just for a little while, they’re able to take their mind off their situation and just be a kid playing with a real big dog. I love CARDINALS CHARITIES special section {sports giving back}

SEPTEMBER 2017 FRONTDOORSMEDIA .COM | 27 Community service is an integral part of most sports organization’s cultures — but for Fiesta Bowl Charities it’s the primary focus. “We are nonprofit ourselves so at the end of what we do our goal is to be able to give back to the community every single day,” said Jose Moreno, senior director of marketing and community relations. Fiesta Bowl Charities also has the longest history of giving for a sports organization in Arizona — spanning nearly 50 years. “We’re a homegrown organization,” said Moreno. “We started here in 1971 and to be able to say we’ve been here almost 50 years, for almost 50 years of giving, to have those years of giving really sets us apart.” Fiesta Bowl Charities primary focuses are youth, sports and education, and their that and I know Barney does too.” “With Cardinals Charities, it was important for us to target our efforts in those three specific areas so that we could try to maximize our resources to have the greatest impact.” These efforts and values are instilled in all of those in the organization, ensuring that all those associated with the team are as invested in the state of Arizona as the state is in them. “People look to their hometown teams for many things,” said Bidwill. “Hopefully through our play on the field we can provide them with tremendous enjoyment and excitement. We also have the ability to instill pride and at times provide inspiration. But we also enjoy a unique leadership position and are expected to do things the right way, in part because others often model that. That’s certainly the case with philanthropy and giving back and why we see it as so important.” FIESTA BOWL CHARITIES special section {sports giving back}