Our Story
1983
Nancy Bissell and Gordon Packard began the Primavera Foundation as a response to the growing numbers of homeless individuals on the streets of Tucson, Arizona.
In 1983, they organized a large group of volunteers to begin the St. Martin’s Soup Kitchen. They were guided by the principle that every individual has intrinsic worth and deserves to be treated with respect and compassion. Shortly thereafter, the neighborhood filed a lawsuit to shut down the kitchen.
Primavera Men’s Shelter.
The court challenge went all the way up to the Arizona Supreme Court, which ordered the kitchen to close. Nancy and Gordon went on to renovate Pueblo Court into supportive housing for people with mental illness. They also raised money to build the Primavera Men’s Shelter, which continues to provide shelter for up to 80 men each night, 365 days per year.
Primavera Foundation has expanded to include the following:
- Emergency shelter and emergency services:
- Men’s shelter (including day shelter)
- Casa Paloma (women’s shelter, hospitality center and day shelter)
- Family Pathways (scattered site family shelter)
- Project Action for Veterans
- Transitional housing
- Paradise Motel (short-term stays)
- Drop-In services (and cooling center) at Resource Center
- Homelessness intervention and prevention
- Rapid rehousing services
- In-person access point for coordinated entry through Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness (TPCH)
- Safe, affordable housing at 12 properties with 145 units
- Comprehensive community development
- Workforce development through Primavera Works, a temporary staffing agency
- Homeownership and financial education counseling, classes and workshops.
Why Primavera
The Squash Blossom
The squash blossom logo is a reflection of spring — or Primavera — in Spanish. It means renewal and rebirth. Our name and logo reflect our mission and shared values of the intrinsic value of every individual, where everyone has a voice and the ability to realize their potential.
