By Isabela Gamez
Primavera Foundation
Three veterans seeking assistance through Primavera Foundation’s Project Action for Veterans (PAV) made immediate progress towards housing during Surge Week.
Held from September 14th to 18th, Surge Week is an effort with community partners across southern Arizona to address veteran homelessness, connecting them with vital resources to help them find a safe and stable place to call home.
“Surge Week highlights what is possible when organizations collaborate to reach veterans where they are, strengthen connections to services and remind veterans that they are not alone, that support is available,” said Josefina Torres, Senior Director for Project Action for Veterans (PAV).
An unsheltered veteran resource fair took place at the Sullivan Jackson Employment Center in South Tucson 15 hosted by Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) to connect local veterans with housing, medical care, and support service.
During the event, PAV Senior Program Assistant Mandy Neely, Program Assistant Valerie Vargas, and Resource Specialists Manny Lopez, Paul Guiffre and Nancy Palma, worked together to support veterans during the event, while other PAV staff supported the effort from their offices.
The VA identified three veterans experiencing homelessness that Mandy and Valerie completed assessments for. All three veterans entered PAV’s intake process and were approved for the program.
Two veterans applied for pre-inspected housing units to move forward with the housing process immediately. Two veterans were expected to sign leases and move into new homes within 24 hours, while the third veteran will continue working with PAV through additional case management toward housing stability.
PAV helps 600 veterans, distributes $1.7 million in assistance
“We served over 600 veterans and their family members, spending almost $1.7 million of financial assistance towards housing stability for our veterans,” Josefina Torres, Senior Director of Project Action for Veterans, at the 2026 Homeless Summit held Sept. 18 at the Tucson VA Medical Center. “This does not include donated funds from sponsors or supporters of our organization.”
Josefina highlighted PAV’s partnership with The Housing and Urban Development–Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH )program, which brings together housing assistance and supportive services for veterans.
“We have also partnered with the VA HUD-VASH team, transferring over 110 of our veterans into permanent supportive housing,” Josefina added.
PAV served 104 veteran families including children and 225 veterans 55 or older last fiscal year.
PAV receives support from the community
The summit highlighted the importance of partnerships outside of traditional housing and service systems.
Josefina recognized the work of Splash 3 Foundation, founded by retired U.S. Air Force Col. Rico Rodriguez, and the University of Arizona’s Kappa Sigma fraternity, whose Military Heroes Campaign is raising funds to support Veterans and their families through PAV.
Chuka Sua, philanthropy chair for Kappa Sigma’s Gamma Rho chapter at the University of Arizona, spoke about his personal connection to military communities and why supporting Veterans is important to him.
“Supporting veterans is something that connects pretty closely to where I come from,” Chuka said. “I grew up in Minot, North Dakota, a community where the military has a huge presence because of the Minot Air Force Base. Growing up there, being around service members and military families was just a normal part of my life.”
Connecting veterans to support
At the summit, Tucson Mayor Romero spoke about the importance of connecting veterans with services and strengthening collaboration between the city, the Veteran’s Administration, and community organizations.
“Our ability to connect that person with the VA and its services can be a bridge between a moment of crisis and the path towards stability,” Mayor Romero said.
Romero highlighted the city’s work with the VA through HUD-VASH, which combines housing assistance with supportive services, as well as employment pathways for people transitioning out of military service through the city’s SkillBridge program.
The summit comes at a time when Arizona is receiving additional federal support to address Veteran homelessness. On Sept. 14, the VA announced more than $55.7 million in grants to 19 community organizations across Arizona to support veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The funding will support services including homelessness prevention, identifying housing and rapidly rehousing Veterans and their families.
For PAV, the week’s events offered a clear example of what that collaboration can accomplish.