Palm Valley Church and Community Impact with Tere Tucker and Agua Fria Food and Clothing Bank with Leanne Leonard E17
Palm Valley Church created a non-profit entity, Community Impact. Community Impact exists to work together with their neighbors, local government, businesses and schools to build relationships by bringing all together for the good of the community. Their goal is to discover the assets, talents, gifts and passions in the community to 
meet the needs for transformation and hope by creating those partnerships. Palm Valley Church is a PEACE Plan Church which means that there are five giants that bring chaos in the world in various degrees locally and globally; they are spiritual emptiness, corrupt leadership, poverty, disease and illiteracy. If the Church can begin to take steps in addressing these giants it will bring peace to the world and will bring about a servants heart, actions and the important of serving others.
Tere Tucker has been a member of Palm Valley Church for over 6 years and the Director of Local Missions and Community Impact for 2 years. She comes from a background of owning her own software business where she has semi-retired and is now more available for volunteer work. Her passion is helping to make life a little easier and giving hope to those struggling, by looking at what the specific needs are in the community, and working with the community partners to bring about sustainable change. Since Palm Valley Church is a “PEACE Plan” Church it gives her this chance to be used by God to make these changes.
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For the past 23 years the Agua Fria Food and Clothing Bank has been faithfully serving the people of the southwest valley. Their mission, as a faith based non-profit organization, is to provide services to families and individuals in the southwest valley who are hungry, in need, or facing crisis. AFFCB has two locations, Avondale and Tonopah, with a variety of programs and services, some shared, some unique. At each location, they offer monthly emergency food boxes and access to their clothing bank. In Avondale, they also provide monthly food boxes for seniors and infants, they have a shower on site for bathing, and they offer hygiene products and daily lunches for
individuals. 
Each year, AFFCB partners with other local agencies and churches to collect and distribute school supplies (Backpacks & More) in July, Thanksgiving meals in November, and Christmas food and gifts (Toys & More) in December. All their programs and services are only contingent on need and residency. Individuals seeking assistance at the Avondale or Tonopah location must have proof of residence in a neighboring city (Avondale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Tolleson, Cashion, or Litchfield Park – or – Tonopah, Arlington, Palo Verde, or Harquahala, respectively).
The Agua Fria Food & Clothing Bank is a community supported organization. They rely heavily on in-kind and monetary donations, as well as grants. They are also an approved AZ charitable tax credit organization. Their day to day operations are possible only through the thousands of generous hours served by volunteers.
Leanne Leonard has served as the Executive Director of the Agua Fria Food & Clothing Bank since August of 2015. Prior to coming to AFFCB she worked for Ottawa University’s Arizona campus for eight years. She was serving as the Director of Business Program’s for their four Arizona locations, and was a full time faculty member teaching courses in business, communications, and liberal arts.
Leanne earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Psychology from Ottawa University, and a Master of Science in Leadership from Grand Canyon University.
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