Valley Christian Schools (VCS) in Chandler, AZ announced it has received a $3 million gift, the largest cash donation in the 40-year history of the organization. The transformational gift was made by a Legacy VCS family with 10 grandchildren at the school. A Legacy family is one that includes at least two generations of students that have attended the school.
The gift was made as part of the recently announced VCS Impact Fund, the second phase of the school’s Secure the Future campaign. The donor family worked alongside VCS leadership to direct the gift toward the building of the Trinity Theatre at the Valley Impact Center. This Center will serve not only as a large gathering space on the school’s high school campus, but will be well-equipped to produce worship and performing arts events. The Valley Impact Center will serve as the spiritual and worship arts hub for the school’s three campuses, used daily for high school academics and regularly for performing arts, staff development, chapels, and worship. This facility will not only serve VCS students at every grade level, but will also serve other community and strategic partners.
“We are incredibly honored by this generous gift, and we are so grateful to this longtime Trojan family,” said VCS Head of School, Dan Kuiper. “Our mission is to equip students to be culture changers for Christ, and this gift will no doubt play a major role in supporting these efforts. We give God all the glory for the work He has done and continues to do at Valley Christian Schools.”
The donation acts as a lead gift toward a three year, $16 million need toward the school’s Impact Fund goal of “expansion for the Kingdom.” In addition to the Valley Impact Center, the school is raising funds to jump-start the permanent home of their elementary and junior high grades – each campus is currently located in Tempe – as well as to expand their high school locker rooms and install a synthetic turf football and soccer field. While this gift will make a substantial impact on VCS’ current efforts, there remains an urgent need for additional funding. This gift was first announced publicly at the school’s 40th Anniversary Celebration on April 1, where the school shared more information about the VCS Impact Fund.
This campaign comes on the heels of “Phase I” of the Secure the Future Campaign, through which the school made significant upgrades on the high school campus, including a two-story academic building, the state-of-the-art Trojan Sports Performance Center, and a brand new parking lot and updated intersection. The first floor of the academic building has been well-equipped for the school’s growing STEM programs and is dedicated to longtime Valley Christian teacher, coach, and friend, Mr. Al Nelson.
Learn more about Valley Christian Schools or the Impact Fund by visiting valleychristianaz.org.