This past year squeezed Tucson families from both ends — rising costs on one, flat wages on the other — and local nonprofits felt it first. Housing stayed stubbornly expensive, groceries climbed higher than many paychecks and interest rates made would-be buyers hesitate.
Even with inboxes full and a holiday weekend in the way, the organizations that did respond to our Giving Guide outreach painted a picture echoed across the city: Need went up, resources didn’t always follow and many Tucsonans leaned harder than ever on the safety net woven by local nonprofits.
Those voices included the Pima County Community Land Trust (PCCLT), one of Tucson’s few providers of permanently affordable housing and St. Francis Community Services, a small but mighty food pantry on the city’s north side. Their responses showed how far community support carried each mission — and how much more could be done with sustained giving…