While our most critical emergency services remained operational during the shutdown, many non-critical programs went virtual. All of us have now returned to in-person services, and it has been a joy to gather once again as a community and celebrate a shared sense of hope.
However, serious challenges remain for many of our community members. During the height of the pandemic, the federal government provided extra funds to non-profit organizations like Primavera, via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), to help people in distress. In addition, many of you stepped up to the table by making generous gifts to support our work. As a result, Primavera was able to serve more people than ever before. Here are just some of the things we were able to accomplish together:
- 14,801 visitors received services at the Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (HIP) program in our Resource Center
- 2,596 families came to Primavera for urgent health and safety needs
- 427 households including veterans, secured rapid re-housing with help from Primavera
- 130 workers found safe, secure, real-world work experience through the Primavera Works program
- 226 households accessed safe, well-maintained, affordable rental units directly owned and managed by the Primavera Foundation
- 721 households were able to prevent eviction
- 3 COVID vaccine clinics were held with community partnerships
- 3100+ COVID tests were administered at our sites to people who otherwise would not have had access to them
Your investment in our most marginalized community members, through Primavera, has enabled residents to meet their immediate/basic needs, while creating opportunities to plan for their futures. However, we continue to see additional demand each and every day.
As you know, safe and affordable housing is a particularly difficult challenge in 2022. Housing prices have increased across the country and the number of available affordable homes is extremely low. According to the Pima County Association of Realtors, housing prices have increased 23.6% in the past year in Pima County and are expected to continue to rise. A 2021 study from Harvard University found that low-income renters and homeowners are especially vulnerable to eviction or foreclosure. “Millions of households that lost income during the shutdowns are behind on their housing payments and on the brink of eviction or foreclosure,” the study reported. That study has sadly come to life here in our community. As eviction moratoriums put in place at the height of COVID have expired, more and more of our neighbors are losing their homes and coming to us for help. And funds from the CARES Act and ARPA are dwindling.
As we continue to do our best to raise additional support to help as many underserved people as we can, your gift will immediately go where it is needed most urgently. By donating any amount today, you are giving a true gift of dignity. Your kindness may provide shelter, rest, refuge, employment, housing, a renewed sense of community, and/or even the simple vision of possibilities for a stronger, brighter future.
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