United Way of Tucson has collected
$489,561 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.
Housing Assistance
Valley Assistance Services: “Robert and Maya* have had a difficult year. Maya had a difficult pregnancy, and two months before her child was born, her doctor recommended that she leave work to protect her and the baby’s health. During labor, she also experienced serious complications. Robert ended up taking the baby home without her while she recovered. Once Maya was discharged, Robert needed to take additional time off work to care for both her and the baby. He was ready to return to his job in March but unfortunately, due to the pandemic, was laid off. Robert and Maya had already spent all their savings to compensate for medical costs and lost work during the previous months, and the sudden pandemic caught them off-guard. Support from the COVID-19 Fund allowed us to pay their mortgage for one month, ensuring that they could keep their house while determining next steps. Luckily, Robert has now found a new position and is scheduled to start work again next week. And more importantly, both Maya and the new baby are doing well.”
Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest: “Grace* is a single mom with four kids. She and her children came to Arizona as refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Due to COVID-19 closures, Grace lost her job on March 20th. Nearly five months later, Grace is still waiting for her employer to reopen and allow her to return to work. Her challenges have been compounded by the fact that one of her sons has frequent medical issues that require hospitalization. He has continued to need care during the pandemic and has stayed in the hospital for several days. Assistance from the COVID-19 Fund is helping Grace pay rent so that she and her children can stay in their home. LSS-SW staff have assisted Grace in applying for pandemic unemployment benefits, which are currently pending. Additionally, LSS-SW continues to provide case management and employment services for the family.”
Grant Opportunities for Childcare Providers!
If you are a child care provider in Southern Arizona, you may be eligible for a grant to support your center or home up to $20,000. The following opportunities are currently available:
Staff are available to answer questions and assist you in applying for these grants. Feel free to contact Lisa Floran, Director of Community Development at United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona ([email protected]) or Pedro Molina, Community Engagement Specialist at Child Care Resource & Referral ([email protected]).
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.