Transforming Lives • Strengthening Communities
Assistance League® of Tucson is a nonpolitical, nonsectarian, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit corporation that is managed and staffed by volunteers who are dedicated to working to improve the lives of those in need in the Tucson area. We are committed to fostering, cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our DEI Policy promotes a culture of belonging for our more than 330 members who donate over 50,000 hours annually serving our community through our philanthropic programs. Based on the U.S. Department of Labor’s value of volunteer hours, that translates to a contribution of more than a million dollars during our most recent fiscal year.
Assistance League of Tucson’s programs are funded by sales from our thrift shop and by grants, gifts, and donations. All our revenues remain in the Tucson area and are used solely to support our local philanthropic endeavors. Through our programs, our member volunteers help those in need find better, more meaningful lives by addressing the physical and emotional needs of children and adults of all ages, regardless of race or creed.
Our Mission & Our Vision
Mission Statement: Volunteers working in the Tucson community to help those in need.
Vision Statement: Recognized as a leading force for hope and positive change.
DEI Statement: Assistance League of Tucson strives to create a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture that ensures every person belongs, is respected, and is valued as an individual.
Our Mission, Vision, and DEI statements reflect the values of the members of Assistance League; helping those in need for a better future.
Learn More About Our Plans: Assistance League of Tucson Strategic Plan
Our Future
Our future depends upon our volunteers, who reinvigorate the organization by staffing programs and providing services to enhance the lives of men, women, and children in Tucson. We invite you to become a member and to help create a brighter future for the less fortunate in our area.
Our History
In 1958, a field representative of National Assistance League, met with a group of community-minded women to explore the possibility of beginning a chapter in Tucson. The result of that meeting was the formation of The Service League of Tucson in 1959, which was the first group of its kind to be organized in Arizona. The group’s twenty-two founding members installed their first board of directors and set up Homemaker Services to provide temporary in-home help during illness and recovery.
Membership and support grew and The Service League of Tucson officially became Assistance League of Tucson after receiving its charter in May 1964; it became the thirty-second chapter of National Assistance League (now Assistance League®) and the first of five chapters in Arizona.
After meeting in various locations for the first five years, Assistance League of Tucson found a permanent home in 1965 when the property was purchased on Alvernon Way. Several building phases produced our current facilities, which house the administration offices of our philanthropic programs as well as a large thrift shop – a major source of funds for our programs.
