VIVA PIMA! Celebrates 100,000th Child Served in Pima County

BizTUCSONAugust 4, 2026

1 minute read

VIVA PIMA! is celebrating two defining milestones this summer: completing its first year under a new name after transitioning from Assistance League of Tucson, and serving the 100,000th child through the VIVA PIMA! Kids School Clothing Program.

The past year marked a major turning point for the organization. The transition to VIVA PIMA! has allowed the organization to focus more directly on Tucson-area needs, strengthen local impact, and build on a 66-year legacy of service. During this transition, VIVA PIMA! also moved to a governing board model and hired its first executive director.

In July 2026, VIVA PIMA! launched the VIVA PIMA! Kids School Clothing Program for the 2026–2027 school year, providing new school outfits—including socks, shoes, and backpacks—for more than 5,300 youth attending Title I high-poverty schools across Pima County. This year also marks a special milestone: the program will serve its 100,000th child since its inception more than 32 years ago.

Operated almost entirely by dedicated volunteers and funded through thrift store revenue, grants, and donations, the program helps children start the school year with confidence. The initiative began July 21 and continues through the start of the school year.

“These milestones are more than numbers—they reflect decades of neighbors showing up for one another and a renewed commitment to meeting local needs in Pima County,” said Monica Stavoe, board chair of VIVA PIMA. “As VIVA PIMA! enters this next chapter, we are proud to honor the volunteers, donors, school partners, and families who made it possible to serve 100,000 children and continue helping students begin the school year with confidence.”

At a school dressing event during the prior school year, one grandmother said, “I never thought I’d be raising my grandkids. I love them, but it is hard to give them what they need.” A principal from a Sunnyside Unified School District elementary school reported that 17 of the 24 participating students live in homeless shelters and two are being raised by grandparents.

Participants in the VIVA PIMA! Kids School Clothing Program for the 2026–2027 school year have already been selected in partnership with 43 school liaisons across Pima County.