Nine years ago, lost in his struggles with mental illness, Gem Hudman had not yet realized his dream of opening his own restaurant.
Solutions
Survivor Shield Foundation focuses on two areas: Direct financial donations to survivors and lobbying for increased governmental support and services.
Tucson police officers participating in the study focused on giving people a voice, showing neutrality, being respectful and showing trustworthy motives.
Arizona’s Health Start program, to put it simply, works. A recent study showed it improved birth weights and immunization rates for children.
Mentoring Tucson's Kids has seen some 2,000 Southern Arizona youths come through the faith-based program since its inception in the mid-1990s.
Part of healthy aging is having companionship, gatherings and affirmations of who you are, say Southern Arizona Senior Pride volunteers.
Blake has supported thousands of victims and witnesses — many of them children — during his time with the Pima County Attorney's Office.
Sixty percent of Tucson's shootings in 2020 occurred in 4% of the city's geographic area — and a new effort aims to improve life in three apartment complexes at the epicenter.
For Star subscribers: Heavy Kettle Popcorn is a growing operation helping people transition out of custody and back into the Tucson community.
Banner's Game On: Youth Athlete Support Fund was established about 18 months ago to expand youth sports medicine services in the state by adding outreach to underserved communities.
The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation's free prom-style event for LGBTQ+ young-people and their close allies ages 15-20.
The Pima County Attorney Office's Victim Services Division was established in 1975. It was the first in the country to provide assistance to victims of crime at the scene and in court.
Counting Takedowns is funded by a fellowship through the Dragon Kim Foundation, a California-based nonprofit that empowers young people to impact their communities while pursuing their passions.
Offer came days after the Star reported that soaring prices were making it tough for The Homing Project secure land to house neediest Tucsonans.
DKA recently received funding to expand services for people being released from prison and for women seeking careers in behavioral health.
Saul Moreno traded in a hefty paycheck for the chance to spend more time with his sons. That led to him developing a genuine love for BMX, which he now shares with others.
The homes will provide residents with a safe place to live while also helping them build equity. Residents are expected to stay in the homes for two to three years.
For Star subscribers: The jurisdictions are the first in Arizona to opt in to federal mental health parity protections that allow employees and their family members to appeal denials of mental health coverage.
Program aims to bring diversity from classrooms into courtroomsFor Star subscribers: Arizona's judiciary is overwhelmingly and disproportionately white. But a volunteer group of professionals is working to introduce kids and teens of diverse backgrounds to careers in the courts.
Pima County Adult Probation's 32 "Journey to Success" honorees have had a 3% rate of reoffending, versus a 17% overall rate for probationers in Pima County.
Vance Johnson, who has been in recovery for nine years, has taken an ambassador job with America's Rehab Campuses.
For Star subscribers: Only 25% of 911 calls are emergency calls, says Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. A new 311 system will reroute calls that seek non-emergency services involving such issues as mental health and substance use.
Tohono O'odham crews learn restoration techniques for ruins, and other career skills, while working on traditional tribal lands at national park sites in Arizona.
For Star subscribers: The nonprofit group Save Democracy, which includes Tucson members, says primary elections divide citizens, discriminate against unaffiliated voters and candidates, and prevent commonsense bipartisan legislation. They hope to put an initiative on the 2024 ballot for open, nonpartisan elections.
Candice Mason founded Desert Camo Apparel, a Tucson-based company that produces desert-themed clothing and accessories with a UV Protection Factor of 50+.
Food bank officials are working with various organizations to bring native, food-producing shade trees to Tucson neighborhoods especially vulnerable to extreme heat.
In the past year, the Arizona Daily Star's solutions beat has covered topics including public safety, education, housing, homelessness, criminal justice, health, politics, mental wellness and more.
Southern Arizona's largest job fair for people with disabilities will return in-person in October, and organizers hope for a robust turnout of employers and job seekers.
Pascua Yaqui leaders and Arizona child-safety officials signed a historic agreement formalizing efforts to reunite tribal children who were removed from their homes with their families, or to place them with other Indigenous families.
The classes are designed for property owners who want to explore equity in landlord-tenant relationships.
Housing and legal assistance, trauma-informed counseling, victim advocacy, medical care and more could be co-located in a center being explored by local officials.
Charles Collins has spent years developing and perfecting hydroponic and aquaponic gardening systems, which he says are a solution to address climate change.
While many zoos offer internships for students after they've graduated, Reid Park Zoo officials aren't aware of any other program that offers this type of experience for doctoral students.
Animal welfare groups across Pima County are working to find ways to keep pets and families together amid increased financial strain.
When parents seeking backpacks for kids at the public housing high-rise came up empty from its supply of donations, a student worker rallied the community.
A $500,000 federal grant will help Tucson City Court and its partners enforce domestic violence firearm laws that require defendants to surrender their guns.
Court Appointed Special Advocates are trained volunteers appointed by a judge to represent a child's best interest in court. Only 7% of the 2,863 Pima County children in state care have a CASA.
Two local groups hosted holiday parties last weekend, raising awareness of Arizona's high rate of incarceration while also providing attendees a way to give back.
A local theater that has hosted donation drives for other area groups for years is now supporting visual artists by providing free gallery space.
The University of Arizona's Counseling and Psych Services saw a 60% increase in students seeking crisis care in fall 2022.
Nonprofits are finding ways to fill service gaps and focus on complex needs of unsheltered individuals in Tucson and beyond.
Local nonprofit The Homing Project is hoping to build a village of tiny homes for unsheltered individuals, but it has hit some roadblocks in recent months.
In March, Ariana Grande created and helped raise $3 million for the Protect and Defend Trans Youth Fund. The Southern Arizona Gender Alliance is one of 18 groups splitting the money.
I Am You 360 has built six of 10 homes in its first small-home village, thanks to the community and a pay-as-you-go building plan.
You can help efforts to make sure unhoused individuals receive services they need: The 2023 count is Wednesday and 300-plus volunteers are needed.
Young people in Tucson are part of a global effort to help make sure youth have a voice in environmental policy issues and decisions.
Team Awareness Combating Overdoses’s philosophy focuses on the prevention of opioid overdose deaths through data-based education, overdose-response training and drug testing.
The group, founded by a 17-year-old, gives Tucson teens a chance to give back to the community.
University High School senior Aiko Levine, 17, and her organization Takeout Turnaround help restaurants transition away from using single-use plastic and foam items.
Pima Cycle Breaker seeks to address the roughly 12% of local residents ages 16-25 who are not in school or employed and are often involved in the court system.
The event– the only of its kind in the area– is open to the public, but advanced registration for a screening appointment window is required.
Maricopa, Pinal, Santa Cruz, Yuma, Yavapai and Greenlee counties outrank Pima County in several health categories.
The public will be able to help create selected murals at special paint-by-numbers events.
The Flying Samaritans take monthly road trips to Agua Prieta, Sonora, to provide care at no charge to patients.
Studies have pointed to improvements in several areas of health for people involved in community gardening, including an increase in emotional well-being and physical activity, the report said.
From clothing design to climbing gear to pooper-scooping and beyond, the students' creations tackled specific issues meaningful in their daily lives.
These frontline public health workers have a deep understanding of the communities they serve, researchers say.
Three Tucson hospitals now have robotic-assisted technology allowing doctors to diagnose lung cancer and determine the extent of its spread in a single procedure.
New U.S. guidelines rolling back the starting age for mammograms and requiring notification of patients with dense breast tissue may help detect cancer earlier.
SAAF Health launched via tele-health last year and already has 250 established patients receiving primary care services. The clinic's physical location will open soon.
Experts are encouraging people in mourning and their loved ones to take symptoms seriously and prioritize self-care.