Exceptional Hospital donates $20,000 to local charities

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Antonia Presume of the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce presents an award of $3,750 to Brandi Homan, Priscilla Behnke, and Dr Fred Johnson of the Be Awesome Youth Coalition last Friday at Exceptional Community Hospital-Maricopa. [Brian Petersheim Jr.]

Exceptional Community Hospital is helping five of Maricopa’s top charitable groups do more in the community by donating $20,000 to the nominees for the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce’s Non-Profit of the Year award.

The local organizations received their awards Friday at an event at the hospital. Exceptional Healthcare made the commitment when it was named New Business of the Year by the chamber, according to CEO Saeed Mahboubi.

Mahboubi said the donations reflect his company’s commitment to the communities it serves.

“First, let me say that we believe in supporting the community and the citizens,” Mahboubi said. “Because of the community’s support, over 403 lives have been saved in our hospital, which means we’re fulfilling a definite need as a community partner.

“We continue to pour our resources into this hospital and the community by adding the Fast Track clinic and increasing our staff because we are making a meaningful contribution by saving lives, healing the sick and providing a hospital for the exceptional community of Maricopa.”

Maricopa Pantry was the top beneficiary of Exceptional’s largesse, receiving a gift of $5,000. The donation is particularly timely, as the food bank’s operation on Papago Road south of Maricopa burned to the ground on March 28. Thanks to community and business support, and the loan of three storage trailers from St. Mary’s Food Bank, the pantry resumed food distribution on April 23.

Donations of $3,750 went to the other four nominees: Chamber Non-Profit of the Year winner Be Awesome Youth Coalition, Faces of the Future, Boys and Girls Club and Operation Support Military Heroes.

According to AnnaMarie Knorr, Exceptional’s community outreach officer for Arizona, the awards show the health care company’s national commitment to community involvement is playing out here in Maricopa.

“Every community (where) you find an Exceptional facility, you’ll find community sponsorships and involvement,” she said. “In Maricopa, upon opening, Exceptional was the host sponsor of the 17th Annual Seeds of Change Gala, donating $6,000 (to the charity) dedicated to helping individuals and the community understand the nature and effects of family violence and providing the resources available to meet the needs of those abused.”

Knorr added that Exceptional also works with the Ak-Chin Indian Community, the Chamber, Maricopa Unified School District, and other civic and charitable organizations.