At the northeast corner of San Tan Valley, on a one-acre patch of dirt, the Pan de Vida Foundation has been helping those in need around the Queen Creek and San Tan Valley area since 2003.
Now, the local nonprofit Pan de Vida is in the midst of planning a new community center on the San Tan Valley land in order to better serve the community.
So far, the organization has met with an architect for the design and has a general cost estimate of $1.5 million for the planned community center to be located at 34488 N. Carriage Drive, in between East Skyline Drive and East Pony Track Land.
The community center will feature three buildings, an amphitheater and a shade ramada with the design emphasizing the preservation of the natural desert environment. Plans for the center are on this acre lot the nonprofit already owns in San Tan Valley.
Pan de Vida is currently fundraising in order to build the center and plans to break ground on the project in about a year.
“We’re really working on trying to make a place where the community will be super involved,” said Theresa Palma, a board member at Pan de Vida.
The center will have space for community events such as board meetings and areas for other nonprofits to offer their services to the community. Instead of concrete, plans for the amphitheater include utilizing the natural environment and having desert landscaping. The main building will include offices and a small kitchenette.
“I was kidding around, but it’s kind of like the East Valley small botanical area,” Palma said.
Fundraising for the center will be done through donations, rummage sales and business sponsorships of between $15,000 and $20,000. So far, Pan de Vida has allocated $180,000 for the project through various fundraising avenues.
Pan de Vida was founded by Mary Gloria in 2003 in order to meet the needs that she saw in her own community. The organization offers services and events that typically focus on making sure its community is healthy and well. The planned community center is a way for Pan de Vida to make sure people who need their services can get them.
“Above all we want to be sure that the folks that need the services will be getting the services,” Gloria said.
For more information on Pan de Vida, read our profile feature on them HERE.
