The Vineyard Family Foundation and Beyond Accessible Launch $5,000 Matching Challenge for Swim for the Light
PHOENIX, Ariz., October 1, 2026— Valleywise Health Foundation’s seventh annual Swim for the Light campaign is getting an added boost this October with a new matching challenge from The Vineyard Family Foundation and Beyond Accessible.
Beginning Oct. 1, The Vineyard Family Foundation and Beyond Accessible will match donations to Swim for the Light dollar for dollar, up to $5,000. The challenge gives community members an opportunity to double the impact of their gifts in support of behavioral health programs for teens and young adults at Valleywise Health.
“Supporting an initiative like this is so important to us, especially since we believe so deeply in the power of community working together toward a common goal,” said Scott Vineyard of The Vineyard Family Foundation and Beyond Accessible. “We have a strong family connection to Xavier and Brophy, and our business focuses on enhancing the quality of life for those with challenges, so Swim for the Light and helping teen mental health programs at Valleywise Health is a natural fit.”
Launched in 2020, Swim for the Light has become a signature tradition in the Valley’s swim and dive community. Xavier College Preparatory’s Swim & Dive Team leads the student-driven campaign each year, bringing together students, alumni, coaches, families and supporters to raise awareness and funds for behavioral health care.
The matching challenge gives the campaign an opportunity to build on the momentum of the Sept. 18 relay event and raise up to an additional $10,000 for behavioral health programs at Valleywise Health.
“Swim for the Light is a reminder that no one should have to navigate mental health alone,” said Lisa Hartsock, CEO of Valleywise Health Foundation. “This student-led initiative continues to inspire our community year after year, helping expand access to compassionate, specialized behavioral health care for teens and young adults across Arizona.”
“Our athletes are driven not just in the pool, but in making a difference beyond it,” said David Smithers, Assistant Swim Coach of Xavier College Preparatory Swim & Dive. “Swim for the Light gives our students, alumni and coaches the opportunity to raise awareness for behavioral health programs for teens and young adults at Valleywise Health. We want to help end the stigma, encourage meaningful conversations about mental health, and remind people that it’s okay to not be okay, and it’s okay ask for help.”
Funds raised through Swim for the Light help support Valleywise Health behavioral health programs, including the First Episode Center, which provides specialized care for adolescents and young adults experiencing early psychosis.
Valleywise Health is Arizona’s largest provider of inpatient psychiatric care, serving thousands of patients each year. With the support of the community, Valleywise Health continues to expand services so individuals across Maricopa County can access high-quality, evidence-based behavioral health care.
The donation from The Vineyard Family Foundation and Beyond Accessible is part of a larger commitment to Valleywise Health Foundation and its mission to help ensure exceptional care is available to everyone who needs it.
To learn more about Swim for the Light or make a donation, visit SwimForTheLight.org.
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About Valleywise Health Foundation
Valleywise Health Foundation is the 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to providing financial support for critical patient and program needs at Arizona’s public teaching health system, Valleywise Health. Key funding areas include burn survivorship care, innovative behavioral health programs, and teaching tomorrow’s health care professionals. The Valleywise Health mission is to provide exceptional care, without exception, every patient, every time – regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. More than 60 percent of Valleywise Health’s patients are financially vulnerable. To learn about Valleywise Health, visit valleywisehealth.org, and to learn more about Valleywise Health Foundation, visit valleywisehealthfoundation.org.