Being a Big sometimes requires planning. Here some great ideas to spark your creativity. For guides and special discounts opportunities please contact your Match Support Specialist!

Outdoor Match Activities

Arts & Crafts

  • Make a vision board collage
  • Build something! This could be a train or car model, a new board game, the possibilities are endless!
  • Create friendship bracelets, necklaces or rings.
  • Learn a new craft together like knitting, mosaicking or pottery.
  • Create a scrapbook of all the things you and your Little do together. Include ticket stubs, menus, pictures, brochures, programs and other mementos. 

Educational Activities

  • Check out a tree identification book and go around to your favorite parks and see if you can figure out which tress grow in the different habitats. 
  • Take a self-guided tour of a local historic location
  • Pick a topic your Little enjoys and go to your local library to do a fun research project
  • Research famous inventors, writers, or other famous people that intrigues your Little
  • Play educational games together (Scrabble, Life Junior, Blokus)

More Activities

  • Write and illustrate a short story together off of a topic, person, event, etc. that they enjoy
  • Make a Time Capsule and bury it in your backyard or put it in a safe hidden location.
  • Start a garden and keep a notebook to see how they are growing and what makes them flourish! 

Check out the resources below to help your Child or Little stay sharp and continue to focus on their academics. 

  • Khan Academy offers a FREE library of trusted, standards-aligned practice and lessons covers math K-12 through early college, grammar, science, history, AP, SAT, and more. 
  • Common Sense has a bunch of great (and free!) education websites and apps that kids can access (with parent permission!) to help stem the tide of learning loss.  Check them out here for more info and find what resource might be best for your Little! 
  • Check out Class Central for a free list of online classes that range from computer science and business, to arts/deigns and engineering. This is best for middle/high-school age Littles. 
  •  Scratch was designed for children ages 8-16 and uses easy-to-use coding - programming language to let kids build almost anything they can dream. There are no obscure lines of code here. Instead, arrange and snap together Scratch blocks as if they are virtual Legos!
  • Do you have a teenager interested in public health or psychology?  Here is a laundry list of resources that they can explore! 
  • BoomWriter inspires children to write and develop important literacy skills, and our parent app will keep you ‘In the loop’ with your child’s progress.
  • Learn to Be – Free Online 1-on-1 Tutoring: Learn To Be provides free 1-on-1, online tutoring to underserved youth around the nation. All of the tutoring is done in an online classroom with volunteer tutors comprised of brilliant high school students, college students and young professionals.  Complete an application online to determine if you qualify for the free tutoring program:  https://www.learntobe.org/enroll
  • Free Math Help – Online Tutoring Programs: Site includes lesson pages by math topic, online forums, calculators and games to put learning into practice.
  • Progressive Phonics – Free Online Reading Tool: Provides books that can be printed or read online with corresponding worksheets to help kids with reading comprehension.  Choose from beginner, intermediate and advanced books.  This program is specifically for beginning and/or struggling readers.
  • Can't find something you like on the list above?  Check out this website for a full list of educational companies offering free subscriptions. 

Tucson Food Pantries & Food Banks 

  • Community Food Bank  - There are many locations for CFB, Find a location nearest to you for hours and availability. 

  • Joseph's Pantry by Grace St. Paul's - Open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, from 9 a.m.-noon.

  • Interfaith Community Services - Ina Office - Open from Monday - Saturday 8:00am - 11:00am and later hours are offered on Tuesday & Thursday 5:00pm - 6:30pm

  • Primavera HIP Center - Open -  Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm. Bring a photo ID, some basic demographic information, and proof of residence.

For a longer list of  Tucson-area food banks, food discounts, and emergency food resources click HERE.

Information on School Districts 

Emergency and Support Services

CRISIS HOTLINES & INFO LINES

Suicide & Crisis Hotline - Available 24/7 -365  - Text or Call - 988

SafePlace Text Line - Text the word "SAFE" and your current location (street address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357) for immediate help.

Pima County Crisis Line - 520-622-6000

Pima County - Warm Line - 520-770-9909

Arizona - 211: Call -211 - 2-1-1 Arizona operators are available 24/7 - 365 and  will help individuals and families find resources that are available to them locally, throughout the state, and provide connections to critical services that can improve – and save – lives. 

A New Leaf - Formerly - Community Alliance Against Family Abuse (CAAFA): 24 Hour Crisis Line: 480-982-0196 or to access services, call or text 602-743-2433. New Leaf/CAAFA provides free and confidential services for survivors of sexual assault and other family services.

Arizona Statewide Crisis Hotline:

Phone : 1-844-534-4673 (HOPE)

Text: 4HOPE (44673)

Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN): 800-656-4673

SACASA (Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault) - 520-3271171 - Crisis Hotline - 520-327-7273

Arizona Suicide Prevention Coalition: Online directory of Arizona suicide prevention services.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Teen Lifeline: (602) 248-8336

American Red Cross – Greater Phoenix: 602-336-6660
Provides disaster relief after fire, floods, microbursts, power outages and other tragedies. The organization can assist with food, clothing, shelter, health and mental health services for victims.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: 1-800-843-5678

National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

Child Abuse Hotline: 1-888-767-2445

Child Sexual Abuse Hotline: 1-866-367-5444

LGBT National Hotline - 1-800-246-7743

The Trevor Project for Young LGBTQ Lives - 866-488-7386 or text 678-678

Transgender Suicide Hotline: 877-565-8860

If you or someone you know is experiencing Domestic Abuse please contact EMERGE Crisis Hotline at 888-428-0101 or visit - Emerge!

If you have questions about Eligibility for Unemployment Insurance Benefits please check HERE.

City of Tucson Resource Line - (520)-791-2540 

Other Community Resources

Shelters/Temporary Housing

Support Groups

 

Counseling & Mental Health Resources

  • Arizona's Children Association - Provides behavioral health services including counseling, Skill building & Behavior Management, intake assessments, family support services and other specialty services. For more information, or to enroll in services with AzCA, please contact the intake department at IntakesBH@arizonaschildren.org
  • COPE Community Services - Provides therapy, medical and behavioral health care for youth and adults with mental health and substance abuse disorders.
  • NAMI Southern Arizona - Offers free support groups and educational programs for people diagnosed with mental illness and their families. 
  • Pathways of Arizona - Provides behavioral health services for children, adults and families including home-based counseling, substance abuse groups, crisis intervention and prevention services.
  • University of Arizona CUP Program - Provides care to the Tucson community under the supervision of volunteer attending physicians. Medical students coordinate and provide culturally appropriate preventive care, primary care, referrals, immunizations, psychiatric evaluations and diagnostic tests to patients who have no other source of healthcare.
    • MIND Clinic - Within the CUP program, This clinic offers psychiatric care to patients without insurance. MIND Clinic offers psychiatric assessment and management to children and adults suffering from anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar, schizophrenia, and other mental illnesses.
  • How to Talk to Your Kids About Mental Health
  • For more Mental Health & Counseling Services please click HERE

Healthcare & Medical Care Resources

  • AHCCCS Medical Assistance/KidsCare - You can apply online for AHCCCS Medical Assistance, Nutrition Assistance, and Cash Assistance using Health-e-Arizona Plus (HEAplus). You can apply for yourself, your family, or someone close to you.
  • Arizona Department of Economic Security - The Department of Economic Security (DES) Family Assistance Administration provides language assistance free of charge to those with limited English proficiency when assistance is needed for Nutrition Assistance, opens a new window, Cash Assistance, opens a new window, and some Medical Assistance (AHCCCS) programs.
  • Planned Parenthood -  Planned Parenthood provides a variety of health care services, including reproductive exams for women and men, annual well-woman check-up, cancer screenings, birth control and emergency contraception, STD testing and treatment, primary care, pregnancy testing, abortion care, colposcopy and HPV vaccinations.  Walk-ins are welcome and same day appointments are usually available.  Planned Parenthood accepts most major insurance plans, including AHCCCS. 
  • Shubitz Family Clinic - Shubitz Clinic is a family medicine clinic that provides free primary healthcare services to uninsured patients in Tucson. It is run by the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
  • Children's Clinics - A comprehensive medical home that offers southern Arizona’s families a unique environment to meet the health care needs of their children.  We have more than 25 medical and dental specialty clinics, primary care, behavioral health, and therapy services under one roof.
  • WIC (Women, Infants and Children) -  The Arizona Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides nutrition education and breastfeeding support services, supplemental nutritious foods and referrals to health and social services.
  • For more Healthcare Resources please click HERE

Substance Abuse Prevention & Treatment

Violence Prevention & Response

Bullying & Cyber-Bullying Support