When a person is living in crisis, there is no one-step solution. Moving from crisis to stability, then becoming self-sufficient, is a process that takes time and the kind of support ICS donors and volunteers provide. ICS programs deliver assistance and guidance for every step.
CRISIS
Alex was homeless and unemployed. He didn't have the documents needed to prove his identity or U.S. citizenship to an employer.
CLIENT INTAKE
Alex came to the ICS Workforce Development Center in November 2023. After the intake process, staff helped him order and pay for a replacement birth certificate so he could apply for work.
FOOD BANK
Alex met a basic need with help from ICS food banks for as long as he needed it—there is no time limit.
EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Emergency Financial Assistance from ICS helped with rent and utilities so he could be housed.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
WFD staff and volunteers worked with Alex to update his resume and apply for jobs. He was hired as a temp worker with a staffing company, bringing some income and work experience.
FROM JOB TO CAREER
While working as a temp, Alex continued visiting the Workforce Development Center to search for permanent work. In March 2024 he was hired by Intel as a full-time employee with benefits.
NEXT STEPS
Clients like Alex can keep progressing toward self-sufficiency with training from ICS's Bridges Financial Management course. This 10-week workshop series covers topics key to building a financial foundation, with coaching from local financial experts.
EVENTS AT A GLANCE
Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise specified. Register online at icstucson.org/events.
Saturday, May 25–Monday, May 27
ICS offices and food banks closed for Memorial Day
Tuesday, May 28
Summer hours begin: ICS offices close at noon on Fridays (Food bank schedules are not impacted)
Tuesday, June 11, 2–4 p.m.
Volunteer Orientation
ICS Northwest Office, 2820 W. Ina Road
Thursday, June 20, 10–11 a.m.
Volunteer Orientation
ICS Northwest Office, 2820 W. Ina Road
Monday, July 1–Thursday, August 1
Peanut Butter Party Food Drive
Help collect 10,000 jars of peanut butter for ICS food banks icstucson.org/peanutbutter
Tuesday, July 9, 10–11 a.m.
Volunteer Orientation (virtual)
Thursday, July 18, 1–3 p.m.
Volunteer Orientation
ICS Northwest Office, 2820 W. Ina Road
Thursday, August 1, 1–3 p.m.
Volunteer Orientation
ICS Northwest Office, 2820 W. Ina Road
Thursday, August 15, 1–3 p.m.
Volunteer Orientation
ICS Northwest Office, 2820 W. Ina Road
Monday, September 2
ICS offices and food banks closed for Labor Day
Tuesday, September 3
Summer hours end: ICS offices remain open until 4 p.m. on Fridays
NEW TAX CREDIT MAXIMUMS FOR 2024
The Arizona Department of Revenue has increased tax credit limits for tax year 2024. Donations to Qualifying Charitable Organizations (QCOs) can reduce dollarfor-dollar what you’ll pay later in AZ state income tax for 2024.
• Married couples filing jointly can claim a QCO tax credit of up to $938.
• Head of household/single filers can claim a QCO tax credit up to $470.
Qualifying donations can be made now through April 15, 2025.
More information: azdor.gov/tax-credits
ICS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) Tax ID #86-0520997 QCO Code #20438
CLIENT SUCCESS STORY
Support Programs Help Father Break the Cycle of Poverty
William was raised by a single mother after his father was sentenced to prison. The young family struggled to get by with few resources, and theft had seemed like a solution for the desperate situation.
Now William is a single father, and he is determined to choose a different relationship with his 3-year-old son than the one he had with his own father. He is a self-employed rideshare driver. After experiencing some health challenges, he fell behind on his utility bills and car insurance, which threatened his source of income.
He came to an ICS food bank to get food and learned about the other services available, including Emergency Financial Assistance. After completing the client intake process, he got a gas card and money for his utility bills.
"After receiving help earlier this week from [case manager] Rebekah at ICS, I was able to pay my past due car insurance and apply a portion of money toward my car loan," wrote William. "Services such as ICS make a huge impact on the choices I have available to myself and my son."
William gratefully shared his story and a family photo with ICS. "I would never jeopardize my opportunity to raise my son... Thank you so much for allowing me to safely raise my son without fear or worry."
Peanut Butter Party Food Drive
Help ICS collect 10,000 jars in July!
WHAT
A month-long food drive focused on the best thing to put between sliced bread: PEANUT BUTTER!
WHEN
The entire month of July. The competition begins Monday, July 1 and ends Thursday, August 1. Donations after that date will be gratefully accepted, but will not count toward the competition.
WHERE
Donations are collected at the Northwest Food Bank (2820 W. Ina Rd.) and Eastside Food Drop-off (8701 E. Old Spanish Trail).
WHO
Anyone can donate peanut butter: faith communities, neighborhood associations, clubs, companies, community partners… and you!
Information, hours, flyers and more: icstucson.org/peanutbutter
CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES
RESET Graduate Invests in Her Future
Katherine (above left, with Self-Sufficiency Programs Manager Maryann Moulinet) joined the RESET program in December 2021. She had spent 10 years as the caretaker for her mother, devoting so much time and energy to that responsibility that she lost some of herself and her direction.
After her mother’s death, Katherine didn’t know what her next step should be. With a decade off the career track, she came to ICS for life skills training through the Getting Ahead class, and was referred to the RESET program. Katherine also took advantage of ICS services like the food banks, Workforce Development Centers, and computer skills classes.
The RESET program provided rental assistance to maintain her housing, paid for emergency car repairs, connected her with more training and resources, and helped her remain accountable to herself. It all paid off when she was offered a fulltime position with benefits with Allied Government Solutions at the Tucson Passport Center.
Knowledge gained through the RESET curriculum gave Katherine confidence to chart her financial future, including investing for retirement: “The biggest benefit was the financial course. I learned an enormous amount and applied that knowledge to my financial situation in every detail. Learning about diversifying funds was the most helpful, and learning how to get the most from my investments."
Nonprofits and Government Agencies Work Together
ICS often receives referrals from the City Council Ward 5 office seeking help for constituents of Richard Fimbres. A recent referral requested help for Luna—a young mother on the brink of eviction whose electricity had been turned off. Luna was looking for a way to refrigerate her baby’s food.
The Salvation Army quickly got electrical service turned back on for the family. ICS Social Services staff jumped into action, with Kaela Nobert, Danitza Vargas, and Liz Guzman (pictured below) working together to pay Luna's past-due rent and stop her eviction.
Staff from the city manager's office sent a letter to ICS thanking Kaela, Danitza, and Liz for their diligent work and for going above and beyond to serve this young family.
Volunteer Helps Job-Seeker Become Employee
Job-hunting is a stressful experience for everyone— especially those with limited computer skills and no knowledge of what a resume is. Suzanne was in this situation the first time she came to an ICS Workforce Development Center, and she was very concerned.
Her confidence grew as she worked one-on-one with [volunteer] Scott. He created a resume for her and helped her apply online for jobs. She called to share the good news when she was hired full-time.
“I want to cry—the help I have received at ICS has been another miracle from God," she wrote in a thank-you note. "I have a job. God bless you and everything you do, for all are such a blessing.”
ICS Staff Share Gratitude at Volunteer Appreciation Dinner
On April 24, ICS staff honored our many dedicated volunteers at a dinner to commemorate Volunteer Appreciation Week. ICS has more than 1,000 registered volunteers; about 850 of them give at least one hour of service each year to ICS clients, and many of them volunteer one or more times per week. Thank you, volunteers, for your selfless service to our community!
Retirees Use Skills, Experience and Passion as ICS Volunteers
Carol, a retired RN, became an ICS volunteer because she loves to drive. After volunteer orientation, she signed up with Senior Services as a Transportation driver. She now volunteers almost daily in several roles.
Carol's career skills benefit ICS clients. Her love for helping others shines through as she provides support and a listening ear to seniors who are isolated. She uses her analytical and organization expertise to evaluate the needs of new clients and schedule Transportation rides.
All the service Carol provides helps older and disabled adults live independently in their own homes. A crucial but invisible area of need is business help. Carol regularly visits three clients to help balance bank accounts, read mail, and sort paperwork. She is helping one client complete her advance directive. Some clients need help because of limited eyesight or computer skills, while others just appreciate talking through decisions with another person for a second opinion.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities: icstucson.org/volunteer
Carol (left) helps a Transportation client out of her car. Carol drives seniors to the grocery store, medical appointments, and events designed to provide social interaction and prevent isolation.
ICS IN THE COMMUNITY
Members of the ICS Social Services team spent a day in April serving at the Pima County Community & Workforce Development office. They helped unload a truck and stock the office with more than 200,000 diapers for distribution to the community. Assisting families with pricey necessities like diapers allows them to focus on covering other essentials like housing costs. (Clockwise from bottom left: Vivian Escobar, Jay Norzagaray, Jessica Cortez, Liz Guzman, and Danitza Vargas)
ABOVE: RESET program participants held their annual service day on April 27 at Gospel Rescue Mission. They helped prepare lunch for more than 300 people who are sheltered at GRM or participating in their recovery programs.
BELOW: The Southern Arizona Arts Guild (SAAG) raised money for ICS's Single Mom Scholars (SMS) program at the May 2nd Art Walk at La Encantada shopping center. Outreach & Partnerships Manager Phil Lynn (left) and SMS Program Manager Rachel Riggs shared info about ICS.
ICS staff and volunteers showed appreciation by marching with the Mobile Food Bank truck in the Oro Valley 50th Anniversary Parade on April 6. Since its inception, ICS has received tremendous support from faith community partners, volunteers, and donors in Oro Valley. (Photo courtesy Town of Oro Valley.)
STAFF UPDATES
Transitions in Volunteer Engagement Team
ICS welcomed Alexis Wilson (pictured, right) into the position of Volunteer Engagement Coordinator on May 6. She will work primarily out of the Northwest Office as part of the Outreach & Partnerships team.
Alexis is a familiar face at ICS. She started in 2020 at the Northwest Office, creating a warm and welcoming front office environment for clients and volunteers. In 2023 she moved to the Development team. Naturally drawn to outreach and meeting new people, she looks forward to forging strong connections with current volunteers and recruiting new volunteers from the community.
Maria Brown (pictured, left) recently announced her departure from the Volunteer Engagement team so she can devote more time to her family. Maria will work with Alexis through this transition period to ensure that ICS volunteers are in the best of hands.
icstucson.org/volunteer
Tandala Kidd Celebrates Retirement
Dr. Tandala Kidd, health and education manager at ICS, retired on May 17 after 12 years of exemplary service. Tandala worked for more than seven years as the manager of three ICS Resource Centers (now called Workforce Development Centers) before moving into an education and outreach role.
Tandala has been a true team member with colleagues throughout ICS departments and locations. She is compassionate, caring, and committed to education. She has taught staff, volunteers, and participants about end-of-life planning, mental health first aid, dealing with difficult people, setting boundaries to avoid caregiver burnout, and the ABCs of ICS, and more.
Tandala will be missed for her humor and wisdom. She excels at actively listening and helping deescalate a situation or offer life-affirming advice. As she ends her career, she looks forward to having more time for her family.
ICS is now accepting applications for the position of Resource and Intake Specialist for Senior Services. See the job description at icstucson.org/jobs.
Mobile Food Bank Adds Two Locations
Food distribution is expanding to two new locations! Effective May 1, free food will be available monthly at these partner sites.
Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church
210 E. Lester Street
2nd Tuesday of each month 8:30—9:30 a.m.
Goodwill of Southern AZ Corporate Office
1920 E. Silverlake Road
3rd Thursday of each month 9:00—10:30 a.m.
The full schedule is available online at icstucson.org/mobile-food-bank
Registration is required for first visit. Bring photo ID and proof of residence in Pima County.
Summer Office Hours
Summer hours will be in effect May 28 through August 30. All ICS offices and phone lines will close at noon on Fridays.
Monday 9 a.m.–4p.m.
Tuesday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Wednesday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Thursday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Friday 9 a.m.–12 p.m.
Regular Friday hours (9 a.m.–4 p.m.) will resume effective Tuesday, September 3.
Holiday Closures
ICS offices and food banks will be closed on the following days in observance of federal holidays.
Memorial Day
Saturday, May 25
Monday, May 27
Independence Day Thursday, July 4
Labor Day
Monday, September 2
ICS will observe regular business hours on June 19 (Juneteenth).
