In this month’s newsletter, catch up on our recent meetings, projects, and focus team work, and consider joining us for our upcoming case manager mixer, financial wellness policy brainstorm, University of Arizona financial research lecture, and more!

United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona's Financial Wellness Partnership envisions a community where every person and family is financially well - asking five questions:

• Can a household cover their basic needs?

• Do they have savings for emergencies, retirement, and education?

• Can they make informed financial decisions for themselves and their families by using financial skills?

• Can they pursue wealth-building opportunities such as homeownership, entrepreneurship, or further education?

• Do they have a voice in civic and community resource decisions, particularly funding and policies?

At our February meeting, we were visited by staff from the Arizona Center for Economic Progress for an overview the Arizona state budget. Special thanks to Karen McLaughlin for a fantastic rundown of how Arizona gets revenue for programs and services, as well as the different funding scenarios currently in play from the Governor and the Arizona Legislature! We also took time to discuss TANF funding in Arizona - its history and possible opportunities to make it more effective and accessible for local families. In addition to Karen’s presentation, we also shared updates about our focus teams’ work with eviction prevention case management, financial empowerment programs, and public policy (more info on those projects below). 

Our Eviction Prevention Case Management group is really coming together to build community and share resources! At our February meeting, we were joined by staff from Step Up to Justice and Southern Arizona Legal Aid (SALA). Step Up to Justice offers a clinic program with volunteer attorneys who can provide advice on topics like evictions, security deposit recovery, and expungement to low-income residents in Pima County (no citizenship status requirement). They also have two outreach programs related to tenant education and mobile home property and asset protection – recordings are available online. SALA also offers clinics and can take cases/offer representation in court, and one of their current priority areas is housing. Their program also has some income requirements and is available in 9 of 15 counties including Pima. Other legal assistance groups mentioned in the meeting were Modest Means Project, Pima County Bar Association, Pima County EELS, and PCOA (which can assist with direct referrals to those orgs for older adults). For the second part of the meeting, we talked about wins and helpful resources in small groups. Resources discussed included the City of Tucson Homeless Outreach Program, CPLC’s COVID resource bank, an adult care home that accepts Section 8 vouchers, Assistance League of Tucson, and FindHelp.org.

Our Public Policy group meets monthly to stay updated about policy happenings related to financial wellness and learn about legislative processes together. The public policy group had a great meeting catching up on the current status of the Regional Prosperity Initiative, discussing the three initial draft policies headed to Tucson's Mayor & Council for review. We also discussed the need and potential impact of regional policies related to financial wellness - such as wealth-building and financial capability - and how we might offer support to the Prosperity Initiative research team. In the next month, we will be compiling evidence and ideas on those topics for review at our April meeting.

The Financial Empowerment Collaborative is a group of 20 organizations focused on elevating the quality and reach of financial education, coaching, and literacy programs in Southern Arizona. By identifying barriers and disparities, learning together, and sharing tools and resources, the group commits to centering equity and improving financial wellness outcomes for those in programs and across the community.

At our February meeting, we were joined by staff from our Community Engagement department here at the United Way to discuss marketing and outreach strategies for expanding the reach of our programs. Their recommendations included authenticating your program (help people understand it’s real and operated by real people – be responsive to questions from the public), emphasize local ties (use photos of staff and highlight their connections to Southern Arizona), and pitch events/stories to media (many media outlets are looking for stories and community services to highlight).

Financial Coach Training of Trainers - Interest Form Open!

United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona and Take Charge America Institute are excited to offer a series of Financial Coach trainings over the next year! Financial coaching is a participant-led approach that allows individuals to assess their own financial values and priorities and move forward on goals of their choosing. When coupled with sound policies related to wealth-building, evidence-based financial coaching has shown success in improving family financial well-being. A Financial Coach Training of Trainers will be held over four Wednesdays during April and May (Wednesday 4/19, Wednesday 4/26, Wednesday 5/3, Wednesday 5/10; all sessions 9am-5pm). Participants will learn and practice financial coaching strategies, led by a professional certified coach and in conjunction with guest speakers. The training is provided free of charge, with textbooks, materials, and lunch all provided to participants.

Tax 101 with the Wildcats

Staff and volunteers with our VITA and Financial Wellness teams visited Arizona Stadium earlier last month to share tax info with the University of Arizona football team! Filing taxes is especially critical for players this year with the new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policies, which allow them to earn compensation as student athletes. Our presentation covered common questions about filing, key points to discuss with any parents or others who might be claiming students as dependents, what to keep in mind when choosing a preparer, and what to bring to a tax appointment. 

United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona VITA Sites Are Open!

United Way of Tucson's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program provides FREE tax preparation for households earning less than $73,000 annually! Each year, United Way of Tucson trains hundreds of volunteers to help thousands of low- and moderate-income families across the state file their taxes for free while ensuring they receive the maximum refund they deserve. In-person VITA sites are now accepting walk-ins and appointments, or you can receive the same great service from the comfort of your home using our fully virtual options.

United Way Tucson Financial Wellness Resource List: This resource list has a new look! You can share with others and access via the United Way website through our Financial Wellness Community Resources page.

Find programmatic and 1:1 opportunities for financial coaching/education, tax assistance, workforce development, and more on this list developed by United Way of Tucson and Southern AZ partners. If you are involved with a program, service, or other resource supporting financial wellness in Southern Arizona, we would love to add you to the list. If you are already on our list, we would love for you to review your entry and make sure it is up to date. Want to add or update your program's entry? Use this form.

Youth on the Rise Re-Engagement App: A new resource guide to help youth 16-24 navigate services, resources, and systems in Pima County.

Additional Information

*Updated* HCD Home Owner Rehab Programs - HCD home owner rehabilitation programs are seeking applicants to their programs! There are fact sheets for each program and people can apply for each program directly using this link.

What Tenants Need to Know During COVID-19 – Robust list including rental assistance, eviction protection/moratorium, and legal assistance resources compiled by Pima County.

How Can Rent Reporting Benefit Your Credit? - Rent reporting can help renters build credit without having to take on any debt. Learn more at the link!

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance: To help ease the financial stress caused by the virus, FEMA is helping pay for COVID-19- related funeral expenses. Individuals can receive up to $9,000. To start an application, individuals must first call the FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Helpline: 844-684-6333. Multiple languages are available. The phone line is open Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm E.T.

TucsonEvictionHelp.org: This tool from TPCH can help individuals and families check their eligibility for homelessness prevention funds, which may be available in certain situations - such as when a family is paying to stay at a hotel but running out of funds, or being forced to leave a housing situation where they are doubled up.

Arizona Homeowner Assistance Fund: The HAF program provides help for homeowners who have experienced financial hardship due to COVID-19 after January 21st, 2020. Homeowners can use HAF funds for the purpose of preventing the following: homeowner mortgage delinquencies, homeowner mortgage defaults, homeowner mortgage foreclosures, homeowner loss of utilities or home energy services, and displacements of homeowners experiencing financial hardship.

Health Benefits: AHCCCS is taking steps to ensure that all eligible Arizonans can stay covered as the federal government ends the national public health emergency. Visit the AHCCCS page to check steps that can ensure members do not experience gaps in coverage.

SingleCare Affordable Prescriptions: United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona partners with SingleCare to provide community members with access to affordable prescription medications. The SingleCare prescription savings card is always free to use by everyone and has no registration or eligibility requirements - it can be used right away. Once signed up, a member just needs to show the savings card to their pharmacist when they fill a prescription at a participating pharmacy. The discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)- The ACP is an FCC benefit (formerly Emergency Broadband Benefit) that helps ensure households can afford the broadband they require for work, healthcare and to stay connected. The ACP provides eligible low-income households a credit up to $30 a month toward the cost of Internet service ($75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands). Participants in the program can apply the ACP credit toward the cost of participating plans from a variety of Internet service providers, as well as mobile services.

• Locally, Comcast is one participating provider. Households that choose plans that cost $30/month or less will essentially receive their service for free - learn more about Comcast's program here. 

Pima County Housing Search - Searchable database of affordable rental housing, supported by Pima County

AZ Eviction Help - Information about eviction processes, tenant rights, and resources for rental assistance, utility assistance, legal assistance compiled by the Arizona Bar Association

Order Free COVID-19 Tests: Go to COVIDTests.gov, to order four tests per household. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days and will begin shipping later this month.

COVID-19 Vaccination Sites - Accessibility and Accommodation Resources for People with Disabilities: Information from the Arizona Center for Disability Law

AZDHS COVID-19 Website – Latest updates, closure and re-opening announcements, and data dashboard