TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — With Thanksgiving and the holiday upon us, it's time to introduce you to our KGUN 9 Giving Project nonprofit for the month of November, South Tucson Community Outreach.
Talk about your grassroots organization: South Tucson Community Outreach grew out of the pandemic, and out of a real need in one of our communities.
"When the pandemic hit is when I really saw the need in the community I grew up in," says Desirée Guerrero, the organization's executive director.
She grew up on Tucson's south side. In March of 2020, she saw an increasing number of community members there, as well as in the city of South Tucson, in need of basics supplies like groceries.
"I needed to do something to help my neighbors and people in the community make sure they have essential items because we were unsure what was going to happen during the pandemic."
Guerrero quickly got to work.
"It started off as us buying groceries for neighbors and just community members. Then it just grew from there," she tells me.
Today, Guerrero and her volunteers help nearly 2,000 people on the southside and in South Tucson. They provide weekly food boxes to community members in need, plus they hold monthly dinners for those living in South Tucson Housing. Their community Thanksgiving dinner is coming up at the end of the month.
All the group's work is done through donations, and with the help of volunteers.
"A lot of people in this community wanted to help out and were excited to help out, and they also knew the need that is here in the community," says Guerrero. "So, it's amazing how far we've come."
You can help support South Tucson Community Outreach by donating directly to their website here. The website also include volunteer sign-ups.
Our partners in the Giving Project, the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, will again match the first $500 in donations.
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