In this month’s newsletter, catch up on our Eviction Prevention work, get involved with Financial Capability month, find out how to contribute to the Plan Tucson workshop at our upcoming Network Meeting, 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?

As part of our April Network Meeting, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona is excited to host a Plan Tucson Community Workshop in conjunction with the City of Tucson’s Planning and Development Services team! As part of the Plan Tucson community outreach phase, this workshop will offer participants an opportunity to learn about the City’s recent efforts, assess our challenges and needs, and guide Tucson’s long-term direction. The goals and policies spelled out in the next Plan Tucson will be used to inform the City’s investments, programs, policies, and land-use decisions over the next two decades. The team is especially interested in hearing about our experiences and work with community members during this workshop.

Our Eviction Prevention Case Management group had an exciting month! At our March mixer, we gathered over 20 case managers to play games, eat ice cream, and send a few lucky participants home with raffle prizes. We also learned more about everyone who joined, so keep an eye out for partner highlights in the future. It was a great night, and we were so happy to see so many partners. At our March meeting, staff from Chicanos Por La Causa who shared about their wide range of resource programs - everything from housing to COVID relief.

Our Public Policy group meets monthly to stay updated about policy happenings related to financial wellness and learn about legislative processes together. In April, we talked about the two Prosperity Initiative policies recently presented to Tucson's Mayor & Council and the Fare Free Transit Campaign. We spent the majority of our meeting time discussing ideas and recommendations for a Prosperity Initiative policy focused on saving strategies for post-secondary education (4-year degrees, 2-year degrees, and trade/technical certifications). In the coming month, the group looks forward to continuing to develop a draft policy and offering feedback on other wealth-building policy drafts.

The Financial Empowerment Collaborative (FEC) 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.

The FEC visited the University of Arizona campus in March for a lecture by Dr. Kenneth White about financial socialization messages and race. Here are a few key takeaways from the presentation that tie to our work:

• Talking about money: In a study of money conversations using data from 2011 to 2015, 83% of respondents indicated that they had not a financial discussion in the past 12 months. Numbers were higher among Black individuals (87%) and Hispanic individuals (87%) than Non-Black, Non-Hispanic (NBNH) individuals (78%). Black and Hispanic individuals were less likely to discuss money with their families than NBNH individuals, but notably, Black respondents were more likely to talk to a friend.
• Who hears what: In the survey of college students and financial socialization messages, Black students received the least saving and banking messages compared to other racial ethnic groups. Hispanic students received the investing message least of all groups.
• Impact of investing messages: Students who received the message to invest were more likely to demonstrate higher financial management, lower financial stress, and higher financial optimism.

April is Financial Capability Month!

April is National Financial Capability Month! Financial capability and financial skills are a critical component of financial wellness - particularly when paired with equitable policies and systems that provide financial opportunities for all. To celebrate, our Financial Empowerment Collaborative is highlighting many of the free and low-cost opportunities available in our local community.

Eviction Prevention Updates: March 2023

Prevention services and systems - stepping in before a family faces crisis and offering the time and support to start rebuilding stability - are key to addressing the health and housing challenges facing many of Southern Arizona’s most vulnerable households. United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s family eviction prevention efforts currently include three overlapping components: short-term emergency assistance funds, longer-term housing and financial stability supports, and collective impact. 

• Emergency Assistance: Since the start of 2022, United Way has awarded $390,000 in emergency support for basic needs and supported 2,003 individuals through our partner network. The average amount requested per a household is $485. In the past year, the top requests have been for assistance for food (45.9% of requests), rent (28.5%), or utilities (14.0%). 
• Housing and Financial Stability Supports: United Way currently supports four local organizations to offer housing case management, financial empowerment, and navigation support to families at risk of eviction. Early numbers from 2022 suggest that 83% of families enrolled in services improved their housing stability, and 78% improved their income stability. 94% of families were able to avoid a disruptive move that would negatively impact family health and child connection to school. 
• Collective Impact: Since October 2022, 56 eviction prevention case managers from 18 organizations have attended at least one meeting, and more than 50 practitioners have access to our online resource bank. In March, case managers reported finding safe housing and willing landlords, legal assistance, and decreases in SNAP benefits as their top concerns.

Trauma Informed Budgeting Workshop @ Tucson House

As part of the City of Tucson's Equitable Economic Mobility Initiative, our Financial Wellness team collaborated with the UofA’s Domestic Violence Law Clinic and Jewish Family & Children’s Services of Southern AZ at Tucson House for a Trauma-Informed Budgeting Workshop in March. The session brought together 12 staff and community volunteers who primarily work with residents at Tucson House, the City's largest public housing residence. Together, the group has a combined caseload reach of over 250 individuals, and they look forward to using the trauma-informed strategies to support healthier and more impactful conversations with community members around money, financial stress, and budgeting.

United Way Tucson Financial Wellness Resource List: 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. You can share this list with others and access via the United Way website through our Financial Wellness Community Resources page. 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

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