When she took the reins of the Assistance League of Phoenix in 2012, Aimee Runyon was the first executive director in the history of the organization that had served the community – totally run by volunteers – since 1960.

She was recruited by another organization briefly but returned to the Assistance League in time to escort the nonprofit into another new era as they disaffiliated from the national Assistance League and became the all-local Delivering Dreams of Arizona.

One of the milestones where she has left her greatest footprint during that time is through starting three Delivering Dreams buses – vehicles retrofitted to be mobile clothing stores, including dressing rooms. These travel to schools around the Valley to  help students each choose an entire wardrobe worth $300.

Delivering Dreams helps children in many other ways, including:

• Wee Help program – providing basic items such as diapers, wipes, infant clothing, and blankets to new mothers being helped by partner nonprofits.
• Books Gifts program – providing books to low-income children in kindergarten through eighth grades, and to social service agencies who in turn put those books in the hands of needy kids. They distribute more than 25,000 books per year.
• HUGS Program – partnering with first responders by donating cuddly teddy bears for children experiencing crisis.
• The Thrift Boutique – a resale store that carries gently-used clothing, furniture.

She leads a mammoth army of dedicated volunteers, working together to improve the lives of children through fulfilling basic needs, fostering self-esteem, and enhancing their quality of life.  

Click here to learn more about Delivering Dreams of Arizona:  https://deliveringdreamsaz.org/

Original air date: December 4, 2025.