City leaders, clergy and Tucson community members will join Primavera Foundation and hundreds of communities across the U.S. to commemorate the lives of those who died without a safe place to call home.
As part of National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, community members are invited to attend the annual ceremony 4-5 p.m., Fri., Dec. 20, at Paupers’ Field at Evergreen Cemetery, 3015 N. Oracle Road, Tucson. The memorial will feature music selections, reflections, prayers, and a reading of names.
“The annual homeless memorial is a time to honor the men, women, and children who perished on the streets this past year — a time of reverence, dignity and reflection,” said Primavera Foundation CEO Tisha Tallman.
“The fabric of our community consists of sheltered and unsheltered neighbors,” said Primavera Outreach Services Director Randi Arnett. “When we lose threads needlessly due to our neighbors being unhoused and on the streets, it affects the entire community. To all who have passed while being unhoused, your passing is more than a difficult goodbye. It is an opportunity to share your memory and uplift your stories.”
While unsheltered homelessness has dropped since reaching its highest point in 2022, the 1,281 persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness is still more than double that of 2020, according to the 2024 Point in Time (PIT) count, which is facilitated by the Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness.
In addition, after a sharp decrease between 2019 and 2022, the number of persons experiencing sheltered homelessness increased by over 42% since 2022. Since 1983, Primavera Foundation has focused on addressing the root causes of homelessness, including services such as shelters and intervention and prevention programs.
Primavera is accepting donations such as blankets, jackets, gloves, hats, grocery gift cards, books and hygiene items at the memorial service. Items may also be dropped off at the Primavera Foundation Training Center, 151 W. 40th St., Tucson, AZ 85713. Please call (520) 882-5383 or email Isaac Rodriguez at [email protected] to make arrangements.
