Tucson Thrives and Doolen
Middle School.

At the beginning of 2024, Doolen’s administration, Higher Ground Nonprofit Staff and Tucson Thrives began a fruitful partnership to help address the needs of Doolen’s students and their families. So far, Tucson Thrives has taken on the tasks of providing donated clothing including coats and shoes, office and school supplies, hygiene supplies, and soap for washing clothes. Donations of this kind are accepted daily at our Tucson Thrives office, 7632 N. La Cholla Blvd. In the near future, Tucson Thrives is working closely with Doolen’s administration and staff to identify the barriers some students experience in their reaching middle school success. To learn more about the student population at Doolen Middle School, please visit their website at https://doolenms.tusd1.org.

Tucson Thrives and Doolen Middle School.

At the beginning of 2024, Doolen’s administration, Higher Ground Nonprofit Staff and Tucson Thrives began a fruitful partnership to help address the needs of Doolen’s students and their families. So far, Tucson Thrives has taken on the tasks of providing donated clothing including coats and shoes, office and school supplies, hygiene supplies, and soap for washing clothes. Donations of this kind are accepted daily at our Tucson Thrives office, 7632 N. La Cholla Blvd. In the near future, Tucson Thrives is working closely with Doolen’s administration and staff to identify the barriers some students experience in their reaching middle school success. To learn more about the student population at Doolen Middle School, please visit their website at https://doolenms.tusd1.org . The rest of the heading on frontpage can remain in the order they are in now.

Tucson Thrives Focuses on Assisting Local Middle School Teens and their Families

Tucson Thrives works diligently to provide middle school teens and their families to help them overcome financial, academic, and social barriers and achieve their full potential. Please take a look below at our current programs.

Tucson Thrives Focuses on Assisting Local Middle School Teens and their Families

Tucson Thrives works diligently to provide middle school teens and their families to help them overcome financial, academic, and social barriers and achieve their full potential. Please take a look below at our current programs.

Tucson Thrives and Doolen Middle School.

Tucson Thrives works diligently to provide middle school teens and their families to help them overcome financial, academic, and social barriers and achieve their full potential. Please take a look below at our current programs.

Tucson Thrives and Doolen Middle School.

At the beginning of 2024, Doolen’s administration, Higher Ground Nonprofit Staff and Tucson Thrives began a fruitful partnership to help address the needs of Doolen’s students and their families. So far, Tucson Thrives has taken on the tasks of providing donated clothing including coats and shoes, office and school supplies, hygiene supplies, and soap for washing clothes. Donations of this kind are accepted daily at our Tucson Thrives office, 7632 N. La Cholla Blvd. In the near future, Tucson Thrives is working closely with Doolen’s administration and staff to identify the barriers some students experience in their reaching middle school success. To learn more about the student population at Doolen Middle School, please visit their website at https://doolenms.tusd1.org. The rest of the heading on frontpage can remain in the order they are in now.

Middle School Classroom Grant Program.

Our experience working with middle school teachers, counselors and administration has taught us that these professionals know best what their students are lacking. Our Middle School Grant Program supports teachers in creating positive, productive environments that increase the odds for academic, social and emotional success for the students. Please feel free to contact us for more information or to fill out an application. Note: First priority for classroom grants will be given to the local middle schools partnering with Tucson Thrives.

Tucson Thrives and the Elf Project

The Elf Project began in 2021 in an effort to provide support for youth in foster care during the winter holiday season. The primary focus of the Elf Project has been youth in group homes or congregate care. Each year, the community works together to fulfill gift wish lists of foster care children as well as to provide each child with a new set of clothing. The Elf Project involves volunteers and donors from across the community, including individuals involved in Pima County Juvenile Court, the legal community, and the not-for-profit/philanthropic community.

In its second year, Tucson Thrives dedicated the months of October, November and December to helping the Elf Project triple its impact both in terms of funds raised and gift items collected, as well as in the number of foster care children served. This year Tucson Thrives will again join efforts with the Elf Project! Please join us in contributing to this wonderful holiday project, call for more information!

Tucson Thrives Thanksgiving Boxes to Pistor Middle School Families

This past Thanksgiving, Tucson Thrives gave five families of Pistor Middle School students the gift of a complete Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. The families, identified by Pistor’s administration, would otherwise not have had the ability to participate in the traditions of the Thanksgiving meal this year. The boxes included fresh turkeys with roasting pans, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, bakery bread and beautiful pecan pies. Cheers to the Pistor families and a special thanks to Pistor’s Melissa Valencia, Family Resource Coordinator and Kathryn Gunnels, Principal.

The University of Arizona String Project

Tucson Thrives partnered with the University of Arizona’s String Project in December 2023. The String Project provides funding for 100 community students to receive accessible, high level music instruction, regardless of financial circumstances or constraints. Tucson Thrives provided shirts with the String Project and Tucson Thrives logos on them for all student participants at the December concert. For more information on the UASP, please visit www.stringproject.music.arizona.edu.

Tu Nidito Partnership

Tu Nidito Children and Family Services is on a mission to create a community of acceptance and understanding for those grieving a serious medical condition or death. Tucson Thrives has partnered with Tu Nidito on this mission especially for middle school teens grieving the death of a special person. Tu Nidito middle school teens gather in the Tucson Thrive’s Teen Lounge to dive deep into their grief journey finding connection and understanding from their peers who are on a similar journey through grief. Together with the support of highly trained volunteers and support staff, they open up, learn to share, feel less isolated and realize they are not alone. Tu Nidito is grateful for Tucson Thrive’s support of grieving middle school teens.

Tucson Thrives sponsors the Teen Lounge at Tu Nidito.

For more information on the wonderful work accomplished at Tu Nidito, please visit their website at https://tunidito.org/.

Tucson Thrives sponsors the Teen Lounge at Tu Nidito.

For more information on the wonderful work accomplished at Tu Nidito, please visit their website at https://tunidito.org/.

Past Tucson Thrives Scholarship Recipients

Lou Cisco Memorial
Scholarship Recipient

Zayanette Nebulas

Class of 2022
Amphitheater High School

Lou Cisco Memorial
Scholarship Recipient

Josue Valenzuela

Class of 2022
Pueblo High School

Lou Cisco Memorial
Scholarship Recipient

Katarina Walsh

Class of 2022
Flowing Wells High School

Lou Cisco Memorial
Scholarship Recipient

Eduardo Arreola

Class of 2022
Flowing Wells High School

Lou Cisco Memorial
Scholarship Recipient

Annizia Bell

Class of 2022
Pueblo High School

Lou Cisco Memorial
Scholarship Recipient

Deonte Pennington

Class of 2022
Amphitheater High School

What We're Hearing

Your generous donation helped provide new clothing for students in area Title 1 schools through our Operation School Bell® program. Thanks to you, our Starting over Supplies program gave baskets of new items for the kitchen, bedroom and bath for Tucson residents who are being newly housed and have nothing. Clothing and snacks for adult and child survivors of abuse were distributed through our Assault Survivor Kits® program. Your organization has given us the opportunity to help so many deserving people in the Tucson area.

-Assistance League of Tucson 

Our Community Partners

Our Community Partners

Our Community Partners

Tucson Thrives has donated to the following local nonprofits with like-minded missions:

If you have questions about our non-profit or would like to learn more about how you can support Thrive Tucson, contact us today.