TUCSON, Ariz., April 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On May 9th, Mother's Day Weekend, Amity Foundation is celebrating its 40th anniversary in Tucson, and announcing a campaign to build a center to provide help and services to support, strengthen, and reunify needy families.

The celebration will be held at Amity's Circle Tree Ranch, and will honor Amity's many friends and donors of the past four decades. Several of those honored will make remarks including Tim Bee, Director of Governor Brewer's Southern Arizona Office. Preliminary plans for the family center -- named the "Dragonfly Village" -- will be unveiled.

Live music, brunch, a silent auction, and games and other activities for children will be provided.

Arizona is the fastest growing state in the U.S. but services to families are not keeping up with growth: according to Department of Economic Security, there are over 6000 families who needed services, safety, and support last year who were not helped. Given the current financial crisis, that number will grow even larger this year.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Amity's founding in Tucson (originally known as Tucson Awareness House) -- this organization was started with a focus on youth, and was one of the first in the state to take in women and men with children. Over the past four decades thousands of adults, youth, and children have been helped by Amity.

The Dragonfly Village will house up to twenty families simultaneously, providing medical attention, facilities for infants and toddlers, classes for parents to improve their skills, addiction treatment, vocational counseling -- all with the focus on building strong, healthy families with the promise of productive, fulfilling lives. The celebration will recognize the Emerald Foundation, which provided the funding for the architectural plans for the Village.

Amity in Tucson was the inspiration and model for federal programs throughout the U.S. that targeted pregnant, post-partum women, and women with children of varying ages. The Amity approach has been widely recognized: by Alice Miller -- internationally known psychiatrist; by Walter Cronkite, who termed it "one of the best programs in the United States"; in testimony in the U.S. Congress; and by many international organizations. Naya Arbiter -- internationally known for her innovative work with women and families, is on the Board of the Dragonfly Village, as is Rod Mullen, President and CEO of Amity, nationally and internationally known for his contributions to the human services field over the past four decades.

SOURCE Amity's Dragonfly Village

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