Organization Type:
Community Group and Non-Profit
Organization Description:
The Franciscan Renewal Center (“the Casa”) is a nonprofit community founded in the Franciscan tradition, dedicated to spiritual growth, healing, and service. Through retreats, a faith community, educational programs, and outreach initiatives, we welcome individuals of all faiths who seek renewal, connection, and a deeper commitment to care for one another and the Earth.
Project Description:
The Franciscan Renewal Center respectfully seeks grant support to install PurpleAir sensors throughout our 25-acre campus in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Our campus serves a wide and diverse population, including elderly individuals and those with respiratory vulnerabilities. With real-time, localized air quality data, we will enhance the health, safety, and well-being of our visitors, staff, and surrounding community. This project directly aligns with our mission to live out the call to “care for our common home” as articulated in Laudato Si’. By integrating environmental data into our operations and public spaces, we aim to raise awareness about ecological responsibility within a faith-based context and encourage actionable stewardship.
Project Importance and Impact:
The installation of PurpleAir sensors would allow the Franciscan Renewal Center to model an innovative intersection of faith, science, and community care. The project is significant because it combines environmental monitoring with spiritual education, offering a visible sign of commitment to integral ecology. It will create safer conditions for our visitors — particularly those at greater health risk — and will serve as a public witness to the Catholic and Franciscan imperative to safeguard creation. This initiative is poised to impact not only the thousands of guests who visit the Casa annually but also the broader community through public data sharing and educational outreach.
Requested Equipment:
The Franciscan Renewal Center is seeking 2 PurpleAir Flex and 2 PurpleAir Touch sensors to ensure full and effective coverage of our campus and the surrounding neighborhood.