How Brian and David joined forces

Long before Purposeful Giving Alliance had a name, Brian Morris (We Fix Ugly Pools) and David Bell (Advant-Edge Curbing and Landscaping, today AE Outdoor Living) were each giving back in their own way.

Brian’s giving started with a hot dog cart. In 2003, his yard sat across the street from the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, which was holding a fundraiser for a fallen officer. Brian rolled out a hot dog cart and pitched in. That one fundraiser grew into a relationship with law enforcement that has lasted more than twenty years: supporting the families of officers killed or injured in the line of duty, organizing and running the Mesa Police Department’s family days for more than ten years, and putting on hiring drives and back-the-blue awareness events.

David’s passion has always been helping people facing terminal or serious illness by making home life a little better, building backyards for those families, including during COVID. In 2016 his company donated a new backyard to a family who had lost money to an unlicensed contractor, a story covered by the Peoria Times (opens in a new tab) and azfamily’s 3 On Your Side. In 2017 his team rebuilt a backyard for the Raskey family, covered by FOX 10, azfamily and TODAY (opens in a new tab).

Different causes, same drive.

In late August 2017, Brian was in Dallas–Fort Worth when Harvey hit. He saw David raising support on Facebook and reached out. A meeting at Zipps Sports Lounge (59th Ave and Union Hills) filled with people ready to help.

The goal was one 52-foot semi of supplies. It became four semis in two days. Brian, David and 22 other volunteers drove to Houston and spent a week delivering supplies and food, helping homeowners strip water-damaged homes, and rescuing dogs that were later adopted.

The effort was reported at the time as “We Support Texas.” The businesses behind it were We Fix Ugly Pools, Advant-Edge Curbing and Landscaping, ABD Signs and Printing, and Garcia International Transport, which handled transportation. Superstition Farms helped with the dog adoptions.

Their friend Dave Delvecchio of ABD Signs and Printing stayed home and kept collecting. They came back to a warehouse full of donations.

After Harvey, they came home to a warehouse full of goods—and David Bell’s idea began to take shape: help the families in their own backyard. Everyone else thought he was crazy. Brian gave him the push and encouragement to do it. David, Brian and Dave Delvecchio, calling themselves the “Holiday Squad,” got to work.

With about a week to spread the word, volunteers started around 3:30 a.m. moving boxes from a warehouse on Bell Road to the Fire Station No. 1 lot in Old Town Peoria, in space provided by Lucidi Distilling Co. There was clothing, shoes, blankets, diapers, baby food, food, toiletries, bottled water and toys, plus cookie decorating, face painting and Santa.

That first Day of Giving was a turning point. It brought Walter Crenshaw, President of Peoria AFSCME at the time, into the work and began a relationship with the City of Peoria. City employees from AFSCME Local 3282 co-hosted. Peoria Fire-Medical cadets and Peoria Police Sergeant Luis Aponte volunteered. Divine Auto Glass, Peoria Ford, Cranmore Flooring and Midwest Food Bank sponsored. That first year, A Day of Giving served 80 families.

The Peoria Times called Bell, Delvecchio and Morris “the heart, soul, brains, and muscle behind the event.” “Thus, A Day of Giving was born.”

“We don’t believe in the impossible,” Brian says.

Read the 2017 recap

For many years A Day of Giving ran without being a charity at all, carried by the founders’ businesses (We Fix Ugly Pools, AE Outdoor Living, ABD Signs and Printing) alongside sponsors and volunteers. A few years in, Dave stepped away for health reasons. Brian and David carried it forward.

In 2019 the event moved to Peoria Community Center. 12News (opens in a new tab) reported “hundreds, if not thousands” of people, with Peoria Fire cooking for families. In 2023 it delivered gifts for more than 1,900 children and more than 400 food boxes (Peoria Times (opens in a new tab)). In 2024 the 8th annual took place December 15 at Peoria Sports Complex.

In early 2025 Brian and David formally founded Purposeful Giving Alliance to carry the work forward. PGA now operates A Day of Giving. The IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter is dated February 24, 2025, effective January 20, 2025 (EIN 33-3306350).

The 9th annual A Day of Giving took place December 20, 2025 at Peoria Sports Complex, with registrations representing 2,268 family groups and 6,169 children under 18, and 700 volunteers.

“It’s about bringing hope to families that might not otherwise have some hope for the holidays.”

2025

Neighbors in uniform

Peoria Police and Fire joined families on site in 2025. These scenes show Peoria Police spending the day alongside the community, with Arizona Congress Member Abe Hamadeh in three of them. He will be joining Purposeful Giving Alliance for his 4th Day of Giving in 2026. Peoria Police Sergeant Luis Aponte has been a backbone of the event since year one.

Year ten is Saturday, December 19, 2026, at Peoria Sports Complex.