Updated: December 6, 2021
The sad reality for many people in Arizona is that the holidays are often more stressful than enjoyable, even during the best of times. And with the COVID-19 pandemic making life even more challenging, those stresses are more significant than ever.
If you’re looking for ways that your business can give back to the local community and support those in need this holiday season, look no further. We’ve compiled some local charities, non-profit organizations, and causes for you to consider.
13 Tucson-Based Charities, Non-Profits, and Causes Your Business Can Support for the Holidays
Food-Focused Initiatives
WIth COVID-19 raging on, there’s been an increased need from families when it comes to food around the holidays. Luckily, there are a ton of organizations feeding families across Tucson, including:
- Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona: The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona responds to the root causes of hunger and seeks to restore dignity, health, opportunity, and hope to people living in poverty. Its mission is to change lives in the communities it serves by feeding the hungry today, and building a healthy, hunger-free tomorrow. And since $1 helps feed two families, your donation dollars go a long way in making a big impact.
- Interfaith Community Services: Since 1985, Interfaith Community Services has been helping people in need to achieve stable, healthy, and independent lives. It provides people in a financial crisis with a compassionate place to turn for vital services that help stabilize their housing, employment, food, and healthcare situations. You can support ICS by volunteering or donating.
- Casa Maria Soup Kitchen: For decades, Casa Maria Soup Kitchen has been fighting hunger and homelessness in Tucson. And this year is no exception. Casa Maria does 450 lunches as well as 120 family food lunches each day. To learn more about how you can help, visit them online.
Organizations Supporting Children and Families
For many families in Tucson, the holidays can be a stressful time, between struggling to put food on the table and provide gifts for kids. If you’re looking for ways to make life better for Tucson families in need, may want to consider supporting:
- Toys for Tots Tucson: Run by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, Toys for Tots collects and distributes toys to children whose parents can’t afford to buy them. Last year alone, Toys for Tots supposed 30,752 children in Tucson with 38,812 toys. This year, you can help make the holidays a little more special for kids across our community.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona: Since 1963, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is incredible potential. As Southern Arizona’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through young adulthood. The organization develops positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. You can volunteer to become a volunteer or simply make a monetary donation of any amount you wish.
- Casa de los Niños: Casa de los Niños’ vision to increase the number of children and families living safe and healthy lives. It delivers a continuum of services to effectively address the needs of at-risk children and their families within our community. Last year alone, its programs served over 5,000 kids and over 4,000 families.
- Children’s Clinics Holiday Toy Days: This year, The Post will be taking part in Children’s Clinics’ Holiday Toy Days. Children’s Clinics is a comprehensive medical home that offers southern Arizona’s families a unique environment to meet the health care needs of their children with more than 25 medical and dental specialty clinics, primary care, behavioral health, and therapy services under one roof. And at Holiday Toy Days, taking place on December 8th and 9th, families get to take pictures with Santa in a fun and familiar environment. Each child who attends gets to select a toy from Santa’s Workshop, wrap gifts for their family, create crafts, sing along to their favorite holiday songs, and more. You can support this event with donations.
- Ronald McDonald House of Tucson: Ronald McDonald Houses are a home-away-from-home for families of seriously ill children being treated at nearby hospitals. This organization helps keep families together during the most challenging times of their lives. If you’d like to support Ronald McDonald House, you can volunteer as well as make donations of cash and even cryptocurrency. You can also give planned gifts, appreicated securities, tributes, matching gifts, in-kind donations, and vehicle donations.
Community-Based Charities and NFPs
Throughout Tucson, there are a ton of organizations focused on building a stronger community, including:
- United Way of Tucson: Serving more than 180,000 people annually, United Way of Tucson works to bring long-lasting systemic change to our community by fighting for education, financial wellness, equality, and healthy communities. If your company is in search of ways to give back, you can volunteer or donate funds to support this organization.
- The Salvation Army of Tucson: The Salvation Army offers practical assistance for children and families, often tending to the basic necessities of life, providing shelter for homeless people and rehabilitation for people who have lost control of their lives to an addiction. You can donate money, goods, non-perishable food items, or even go thrift shopping at their stores as well as sign up to be a volunteer.
- Roadrunners Give Back: Roadrunners Give Back, a branch of the Arizona Coyotes Foundation, seeks to enhance the quality of life throughout Southern Arizona communities by supporting non-profit organizations that promote healthcare, education and cultural arts programs for children and service men and women. They are dedicated to health and wellness programs that stimulate the growth of youth sports and financially supporting programs that encourage teamwork skills while building future leaders in our community. As a corporate partner or private donor, you can support their mission.
Animal-Focused Charities and Pet Shelters
People aren’t the only ones that could use help during the holidays. For pet lovers, there are a ton of great organizations to support during the holidays, including:
- The Humane Society of Southern Arizona: The Humane Society is a full-service animal welfare organization that takes in homeless pets and finds them new homes. It’s also known for its spay and neuter program to prevent more homeless pets from being born. There are a ton of ways to help, from advocating to donating and volunteering.
- Hermitage Cat Shelter: Families can volunteer to work with kitties! Volunteers under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult or parent. You’ll be able to help clean up the shelter, socialize cats, go to events, do administrative work, and transport donations.
This has been an extremely challenging year for individuals and families throughout Tucson. But you can help. If you’re interested in doing some good in the community this holiday season, there are a ton of great causes to choose from.
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