Planning the Retreats

It took a year to plan the events happening throughout the week. “We began the feasible meeting last April,” says Pazak. With the help of volunteers, Pazak was able to connect with businesses throughout the Valley. Pazak says, “I said we need 11 beautiful date night dinners-and I put it out to my committee and the next meeting a month later I had eleven really nice places for them to go to dinner.” The volunteers are also from all over the United States and, during the retreat, they stay with the families and assist them with whatever they may need. “Volunteers are also coming from all over the country so that every family has their own private concierge. If during the week they have a question, or if during the week they know they are not going to make it to an activity they have somebody they can personally bond with and say we’re not coming or we’re going to be late so they don’t feel in anyway pressure or stress,” Pazak says.

When planning the retreats, one of the most important donations was the donation of houses. Pazak and her husband met with Elizabeth Shapiro, who represents a property management company, and Shapiro was able to donate 12 houses. “I explained the concept of the mission of Little Pink Houses of Hope and Elizabeth very graciously said ‘I’ve been looking for a charity to support, this is perfect. What do you need?’” Pazak had a large response from donors willing to donate their house for a week. “We had more donors than we needed homes for,” Pazak says.

There will be a wide range of activities happening throughout the week for the families to participate in. Some of the activities include paddle boarding at Saguaro Lake, a Mother’s Day tea, a picnic at McCormick Railroad Park, pottery making at the Mesa Arts Center and the families will also attend a Diamondbacks game. On one day, the mothers get to make and keep their own piece of jewelry at Kendra Scott at Scottsdale Quarter, while their children play in the splash pad in the shopping center.

Valley Contributions

While planning the retreat, Pazak says she received support from the community for the Little Pink Houses of Hope organization. “The generosity, the kindness the absolute love of people that I met and asked for donations, it’s overwhelming the generosity that is here in this Valley,” Pazak says. With help from the community the mission of Little Pink House of Hope was brought to life.