Valley Assistance Services
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Combining social services and community health, Valley Assistance Services (VAS) guides seniors, individuals and families to live healthy, resilient and vibrant lives, to remain safe and independent. Green Valley Assistance Services, Inc., dba Valley Assistance Services, a community health and social service non-profit agency, provides nutritional and financial assistance to over 5,900 people in Southern Arizona each year. Valley Assistance Services has served Pima County and Santa Cruz communities in Southern Arizona for over 50 years.
The number of people needing our services tripled in 2019 over 2018, and continues to steeply increase even more in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. An increasing number of those persons who are aging in place are challenged to pay skyrocketing costs of medicines and healthcare bills due to health changes. Some are surrounded on a daily basis by loneliness, social isolation, memory loss, transportation issues, or by overwhelming chronic health issues. Families and single parents are struggling with increased costs of living with layoffs, low wages, or unemployment. VAS has recently seen it’s ultimate highest levels of needs, scrambling to keep up with providing assistance to this exploding number of those in our area needing help |
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VAS empowers those in the community with three goals within its services:
Helping Seniors Stay Healthy and Safe with programs: SHiM® Fall Prevention A Touch That Cares®, care management Going Home with Care Community Centered Approach to Care Neighbors Aim (Memory Loss) Virtual Dementia Tour |
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Health education classes offered on Memory Loss, Parkinson’s, End of Life, Advanced Directive Planning and Bereavement Support.
Helping Seniors Stay Vibrant and Active with programs:
Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Transportation, Friendly Visits
Shopping, Errands
Support and Socialization Programs(SASS)
Volunteer Drivers
ConnectwithU (phone conversations)
Helping Families Stay Financially Independent with programs:
Monetary Assistance Program (MAP)
Workforce Training/Job Search
(Emergency Rental Assistance/Utility Assistance to those who qualify)
Resume Writing/Career Building
Budgeting/Saving Classes & Benefits
Financial Youth Literacy
SNAP (food stamp), AHCCCS, ALTCS and unemployment online application assistance
VAS welcomes volunteers who help as a driver for transportation, grocery shopping, errands, and friendly home visits in Green Valley, Sahuarita, and the Tubac Regional area, as a connectwithU volunteer for making phone calls, and as a handyman for limited repairs in the home. Our Neighbors Helping Neighbors program is providing Televisits to over 1300 seniors each month, keeping seniors connected during this uncertain time of the Corona Virus pandemic.
Volunteers with financial experience help in our MAP program, educating individuals and families about savings/budgeting, credit reports, and on resources and discount programs to effectively use their limited resources. Our workforce training/ computer lab volunteers help with resume writing, job search and interviewing from a personal coach. Our Workforce Center is open by appointment Mon-Fri, for job-search assistance. Dreambuilder, an online program for women who want to strengthen their skills and build their own business, is available in the Center by appointment.
SHIM (Safety and Health in Motion), is a nationally acclaimed program developed by VAS and the Green Valley Fire Department. The SHiM® team (a Registered Nurse and Fire Corps volunteer) provides free environmental and health risk assessments. A handy person may help with small modifications related to falls. After the first year, SHiM® saved over $10 Million dollars in fall-related costs.
VAS is becoming a Hub for other non-profits and health agencies in our community. Green Valley – Sahuarita Volunteer Clearinghouse, Pima Council on Aging’s Green Valley Office, and Hacienda Home Health Care are all now housed in VAS’s building at 3950 S. Camino del Heroe.
Call for a tour of our office and a meeting with one of our staff members.
VAS collaborates with other non-profits, businesses, groups, educational institutions, County and Government offices. We are working closely with the local food banks and other agencies to assist with food access and food insufficiency. In addition, VAS assists with SNAP (formerly food stamps) online applications.
VAS needs your help! Monetary donations and donations of time/talent are desperately needed and greatly appreciated. Volunteers are needed in all areas, but especially drivers and office help. Any contribution can make a big difference for one of your own neighbors. Also, because of the pandemic, all taxpayers can take a $300 donation to VAS on their 2020 tax return even if they only use the standard deduction. Please consult your tax advisor for specifics.
Valley Assistance Services assists those in Sahuarita, Green Valley, Amado, Tubac, Carmen, Tumacacori and Arivaca. If you would like to receive our weekly E-Blast, please go to our website, and subscribe to our newsletters.
Mission Committee Contact: Steve Larson, through the VPC office email, VPC-office@valleypres.net.
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Main Office
3950 S. Camino del Heroe Green Valley, Arizona 85614 (520) 625-5966 |
Chris Erickson RN, Executive Director |
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