United Way donates nearly $50,000 to two local charities

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - Today, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona announced two investments to support initiatives within the Arizona End of Life Care Partnership, anchored at United Way, to promote equitable access to end-of-life resources and education in Southern Arizona.

An investment of $24,750 will be given to Certified Community Health Specialist Foundation (CCHS) to implement an end-of-life care needs assessment among those experiencing homelessness in Tucson.

This needs assessment will be conducted by CCHS on-site at Z Mansion, a local organization that provides meals and basic healthcare needs for unhoused individuals and families. The findings from this assessment will be used to guide future work for the Arizona End of Life Care Partnership and focus on assisting individuals with completing advance directives.

An additional investment of $25,000 will be given to Step Up to Justice to fund a community education project focused on increasing knowledge about end-of-life care topics like drafting a will and planning for guardianship.

This was identified as a need for EOLCP’s work as many people are unsure which aspects of end-of-life planning can be done individually and which need to be done with an attorney consultation.

Emmeline Kunde Hill, President of the Certified Community Health Specialist Foundation, noted, “The foundation is a network of physicians, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, and others who have dedicated time and effort to become certified in the unique medical needs of those experiencing homelessness, called Certified Community Health Specialists. These specialists provide medical intervention for this community by visiting shelters, feeding projects, and other gathering areas to assist those in need of medical attention.”

Similarly, Michele Mirto, Executive Director/Attorney at Step Up To Justice, said, “Step Up to Justice is a full-service, free civil legal center for low-income individuals and families in Pima County, powered by the talents of volunteer attorneys. Through careful financial stewardship and technology designed to bring civil legal services to clients where and when they need them, Step Up to Justice builds connections between clients, attorneys, and community partners. Support from the United Way will allow Step Up to Justice to develop a reliable and trustworthy upstream education project to inform, intervene, and prevent future legal disputes around end-of-life planning.”

“These investments in our partners allow them to better connect with those in need of these services, especially those in our vulnerable and underrepresented communities, and then leverage resources that offer the best possible outcomes,” stated Tony Penn, President and CEO of United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. “Those of us who work for United Way have a shared desire to see equitable access in end-of-life care planning because we know that everyone in our community is better served, from birth to end of life, when such access is made possible,” Penn concluded.

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