Birdcall, a fast-casual eatery with three Valley locations, is turning up the heat with its 2025 firefighter calendar launch, a new addition to the company’s 1% Back initiative. This program embodies Birdcall’s commitment to community impact and dedicates one percent of all sales to nonprofits that focus on driving meaningful change. This year, proceeds will directly support Stop Our Stigma, a nonprofit addressing the mental health crisis among first responders.
Stop Our Stigma was founded to combat the alarming suicide rates among Arizona-based paramedics, EMTs and firefighters. According to the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, first responders in the state face a suicide rate of 39 percent higher than the general population.
On average, nine suicides are reported annually in this group, which are often related to job-related stress, trauma exposure and the stigma around seeking help. All funds from Birdcall’s firefighter calendar will support Stop Our Stigma’s critical work through funding peer support training for fire departments and outreach programs for the families of first responders. These initiatives aim to normalize conventions about mental health and provide resources to those in need.
“We believe that this partnership will help normalize the need for support and reaching out,” said Dale Crogan, Stop Our Stigma Board Member and City of Mesa Fire Captain. “We know that mental health can sometimes be a very heavy conversation, so we found it important that we were able to show these firefighters and first responders in a more normal and relaxed environment, but also talk about a difficult issue.”
The 2025 calendar is more than just a collection of heroic snapshots, it’s a celebration of the individuals who serve on the frontlines. The calendar features candid and playful images that humanize these everyday heroes with a balance of humor and advocacy that is designed to spark conversations, reduce stigma and reach a broader audience.
“The proceeds from this calendar will be distributed in one of two ways: to help provide training and awareness to the actual family members of first responders and to provide direct training for the peer support team at local fire departments,” Crogan said. “We believe that family members are a major key in helping our first responders feel comfortable reaching out.”
The calendars are available for $15 at all Arizona Birdcall locations. Ten dollars from each sale will go directly to Stop Our Stigma. This initiative aligns with Birdcall’s mission to support local communities and create lasting change. Learn more at eatbirdcall.com or stopourstigma.org.
