Men paint huge mural in downtown Phoenix to support local organization

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - With every delicate stroke of a brush, two men, color by color, paint a story of hope in downtown Phoenix.

"We're proud of it, to tell you the truth, we're very proud of this mural," Jose Andres Giron said.

It's a testament, that muralists Jose and Roman Reyes say, to the work of United Cerebral Palsy, which is a place that helps more than 5,000 children and adults with varying disabilities every year, including Roman's son.

"This is very special to me... very special," Reyes said.

A now 24-year-old man who has Aspergers, and with the help of UCP is now in his second year of college.

"It's been a long journey, but he's a healthy, vibrant young man, but he's doing real well," Reyes said.

It's an experience that makes the hard work in the Arizona heat worth it. The men, friends since high school, have spent every day here since the beginning of May.

They're commissioned to paint the faces of those impacted by UCP employees, like Laura Hazy.

"I've seen children go from barely able to walk or just clutching to a walker to walking down the hallway of a clinic with their therapist or parents," she said.

They're success stories that Laura says wouldn't be possible without the help of Circle K. In 2016 alone, the company donated 5.7 million through fundraisers and donations from customers at the registers of every Valley location.

"Circle K and UCP have been partnered for over 30 years and we are so proud of that partnership because we are able to through our customers, vendors and employees, support UCP and all that they do," Suzy Peel said.

Which is why the four-panel mural will begin behind the Circle K at Seventh Street and Roosevelt and extend next door to the wall of UCP's downtown location.

It's a project that you'll be able to see completed in August.

"When it's over... it's going to be something to see... I'll tell ya," Giron said.