The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation Awards a $600,000 Grant to Boulder Crest for First Responders in Maricopa County
Bob and Renee Parsons — philanthropists and business leaders whose commitment to hope, dignity, and opportunity has delivered life-changing support to veterans, first responders, and communities during their most difficult moments.
First responders face relentless stress and constant exposure to human suffering — Struggle Well provides proactive training, skills, and community to help them navigate that stress and grow from it.
Boulder Crest CEO Josh Goldberg leads a Struggle Well training — equipping first responders with practical skills to manage the stress of their professions and foster Posttraumatic Growth, the positive psychological change that can occur through struggle and adversity.
The two-year grant will support the expansion of Boulder Crest’s Struggle Well program, bringing Posttraumatic Growth training to more Arizona first responders
First responders run toward danger on our worst days... Supporting those who protect our communities isn’t optional, it’s a responsibility we take personally.”
PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, January 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In a powerful demonstration of support for those who protect our communities, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation has awarded a two-year, $600,000 grant to Boulder Crest Foundation to expand its Struggle Well training program for Arizona first responders serving Maricopa County. The investment will significantly scale a critically needed program that equips law enforcement, firefighters, and other frontline personnel with the skills to turn the weight of daily stress into strength, connection, and growth.— Bob Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation.
“First responders run toward danger on our worst days, and the weight they carry doesn’t come off when the shift ends,” said Bob Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “Struggle Well gives these men and women the tools to face that weight head-on and turn it into strength. Supporting those who protect our communities isn’t optional, it’s a responsibility we take personally.”
Founded by retired U.S. Navy EOD Master Chief Petty Officer Ken Falke and his wife Julia, Boulder Crest is a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to developing Posttraumatic Growth (PTG)-based training solutions for times of struggle including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and suicidality.
Since its founding, Boulder Crest has served more than 180,000 individuals nationwide, including over 5,500 veterans and first responders in Arizona. Struggle Well is based on the science of PTG – the positive psychological transformation that can happen in the aftermath of trauma. It demonstrates that our struggles can become a catalyst for profound change.
This work comes at a pivotal moment.
First responders, whose jobs demand constant exposure to human suffering and high-stress situations, face staggering mental health challenges. Studies show that more first responders die by suicide than in the line of duty, underscoring the profound need for proactive support. Struggle Well ensures these brave professionals have the skills, training, and community to navigate that stress and grow from it.
“This extraordinary investment from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation allows us to expand hope at a scale that matches the need,” said Josh Goldberg, CEO, Boulder Crest Foundation. “Together, we are helping first responders reframe struggle — not as something to hide from, but as a powerful opportunity for growth, connection, and leadership.”
While traditional wellness programs focus primarily on crisis intervention or post-trauma recovery, Struggle Well is proactive, preventative, and transformational. The program equips first responders with practical, evidence-based skills to metabolize stress and trauma as it occurs, rather than allowing it to compound. Boulder Crest partners directly with departments, leadership teams, and professional associations to shift culture at every level, normalizing struggle, strengthening trust, and creating environments where seeking support is viewed as a sign of strength, not weakness.
“Behind every badge and uniform is a human being who deserves support, understanding, and hope,” said Renee Parsons, co-founder of The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation. “By investing in Struggle Well, we are helping ensure that first responders and their families have access to training that honors their service, strengthens their resilience, and reminds them they are never alone in their struggles.”
Today, Boulder Crest partners with 27 departments and organizations across Maricopa County. Major regional collaborators include the Arizona Peace Officers Standards & Training Board, Gilbert Police & Fire, Glendale Police & Fire, Mesa Police & Fire, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Scottsdale Police, and the Arizona Department of Corrections (program in development). Additional participating agencies include the Arizona Department of Public Safety, ASU Police, and police and fire departments in Avondale, Buckeye, Chandler, Goodyear, Peoria, Surprise, Tempe, and Queen Creek.
About Boulder Crest Foundation
Boulder Crest Foundation is a national leader in Posttraumatic Growth, serving first responders, veterans, service members, and their families through world-class, immersive programs that transform struggle into strength. Through programs including Struggle Well, Boulder Crest helps individuals and communities emerge from adversity with purpose, connection, and growth. Boulder Crest operates retreat and training campuses in Bluemont, Virginia, Sonoita, Arizona, Italy, Texas, and Boulder, Wyoming.
About The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation
The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers support to nonprofit organizations successfully working to empower, educate, nurture and nourish people during what is often the darkest time of their lives. Founded in 2012 by philanthropists and business leaders Bob and Renee Parsons to provide hope and life-changing assistance to the country’s most vulnerable populations, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offers critical funding at critical times to those in need. The Foundation’s giving is driven by the core belief that all people – regardless of race, religion, roots, economic status, sexual orientation or gender identity – deserve access to quality healthcare, education and a safe place to call home. Follow @WeDealInHope on social media or visit TBRPF.org to learn more about partner organizations and the important work being done in the community.
Jennifer Grady
Boulder Crest Foundation
jen.grady@bouldercrest.org
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Boulder Crest Foundation: Struggle Well Program
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