United Way of Tucson has collected
$488,681 to distribute to local agencies working directly to help Southern Arizona.
United For Southern Arizona
COVID-19 Fund Updates:
As we pivot now from Response to Recovery, your United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona is excited to share bi-weekly updates related to our United for Southern Arizona COVID-19 Fund . Funds raised are distributed to partner agencies and go directly to helping local individuals and families in our community as we work towards recovering and rebuilding our community from the COVID-19 crisis. It is only through your generosity that we are able to create a positive impact in the lives of others. Thank you for making this possible! Read on below for individual stories of impact, volunteer opportunities and other important updates.
Partner Agencies:
Community Stories
Thanks to the generous support of our funders and donors like you, United Way of Tucson has been able to help individuals and families start to recover and rebuild their lives in conjunction with our partner organizations. Below you will read the stories of these individuals and how they have been directly affected during this COVID-19 crisis.
La Frontera Center: “ In the past two weeks, we have been able to help five households in need with assistance from the United Way COVID fund. This support included rent support for two out-of-work veterans and a disabled individual who recently needed to move. We also helped two families catch up on electricity bills. Both families have seen the mothers lose work hours, and each month, they have fallen farther behind. Utility assistance means that their houses - which both include young children and older adults – can keep up the increased electricity costs during the Arizona summer.”
Housing Assistance
Pima Council on Aging : “Ina* is a 78-year-old woman who recently lost her life partner, and she herself is also experiencing cognitive impairments. A relative recently took advantage of Ina’s state, withdrawing money from her bank account and leaving her unable to pay rent and buy food. We are now coordinating with Adult Protective Services to help protect Ina’s assets and connect her with additional services during this vulnerable moment. COVID funds are specifically being used to assist Ina with this month’s rent – housing stability is invaluable to her during such a difficult time.”
UA Campus Pantry Highlights
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, 15% of Southern Arizonans struggled with food insecurity. College students might not be the first group that comes to mind when thinking of this issue, but research suggests that they are often at heightened risk. On average, 1 in 3 college students struggle with food access during their education.

The UA Campus Pantry was established by students, volunteers, and staff in 2012 to alleviate hunger among the University of Arizona community. The pantry provides food to students, faculty, and staff facing challenges, which may include lack of dependable transportation or limited access to healthy options. The pantry is open multiple days week, giving people the opportunity to secure staples like milk, eggs, fruits, and vegetables.
When university classes moved online in mid-March, the UA Campus Pantry kept its doors open. However, COVID did prompt a number of changes. Social distancing precautions meant canceling annual in-person fundraisers and donation drives. At the same time, new safety recommendations meant the pantry needed to expand its space and purchase additional cleaning supplies. Still, pantry staff successfully served over 700 people during the second half of spring semester. Hundreds more have continued visiting over the summer.
Funds from the United for Southern Arizona COVID-19 Fund are helping the UA Campus Pantry keep its shelves stocked and its premises safe as the school prepares for fall semester. We are grateful for the Pantry’s ongoing commitment to helping our community meet basic needs and honored to support its work!
Volunteer Opportunities!
Stay Tuned for Updates, Coming Soon!
We need your help to keep
Southern Arizona United

We need your continued support to help our community recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 Crisis. For nearly 100 years, your United Way of Southern Arizona has been fulfilling our mission of mobilizing the community to solve real-time problems. Your gift to this fund will quickly support a child, family, or older person with what they need most as our community heals. Together, we can help each other and our community emerge from this stronger than ever. With our non-profit partners, United Way will continue to help the recovery effort by providing services and resources for individuals and families recovering from health and financial hardship.  When we LIVE UNITED, we can achieve more than any single entity can alone. When you GIVE UNITED, you can change lives.