Media Advisory: U of A poverty project forum to share new data on food insecurity, health-insurance worries in Tucson

Dec. 9, 2025

Media Advisory: U of A poverty project forum to share new data on food insecurity, health-insurance worries in Tucson

What: Poverty in Tucson Ninth Annual Community Forum
When: Monday, Dec. 15, 9-11 a.m.
Where: Habitat for Humanity Tucson, 3501 N. Mountain Ave.
Registration: Open to the public, no registration is necessary.

TUCSON, Ariz. – A University of Arizona project focused on poverty in Tucson will host its ninth annual community forum to highlight how challenges such as food insecurity, affordability pressures and access to health care affect families across the city.

The Poverty in Tucson Community Forum is part of the Poverty in Tucson Field Workshop, a student-driven project that aims to investigate the root causes and long-term impacts of intergenerational poverty in Southern Arizona.

This year, the partnership between the U of A project, the city of Tucson, and the Prosperity Initiative is focused on helping with a recent grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Choice Neighborhoods program. The grant supports Tucson's 29th Street Thrive Zone – the area between Alvernon Way and Craycroft Road and 22nd Street and Golf Links Road.

Survey data collected by students in the Poverty in Tucson Field Workshop will help city programs better evaluate and address the needs of residents of the 29th Street Thrive Zone, as well as residents across Tucson.

During the community forum, students will share poster presentations on topics related to the experiences of Tucson and Pima County residents living in or near poverty. These topics, drawn from more than 280 interviews conducted this fall, include food insecurity – specifically reliance on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – as well as rising household costs, health-insurance concerns, neighborhood safety, among others.

Findings from the 2025 Poverty in Tucson Field Workshop suggest that the federal government shutdown deepened hardship for many Tucson households, where 55% of respondents relied on SNAP, yet many still faced serious food insecurities, often skipping or reducing meals. Rising food prices added pressure, with 82% reporting higher grocery costs over the past year. Additionally, 72% of respondents reported deep concern about losing health insurance coverage, ongoing struggles to afford basic needs, and persistent worries about safety issues in their neighborhoods.

"The 2025 Workshop was only two weeks into our data collection when the federal government shutdown led to the disruption of essential social services, including SNAP. For the households we interviewed, this was both a major source of stress and anxiety as well as a direct impact on their ability to put food on the table," said Brian Mayer, a professor of sociology in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences who directs the Poverty in Tucson Field Workshop. "We hope that the information we collected and the stories we heard can help prevent such future disruptions and continue improving the way we deliver essential services and assistance to households in Southern Arizona working towards economic security."

The drop-in event will feature brief remarks from Mayer starting at 9:30 a.m.

Since 2015, the Poverty in Tucson Field Workshop has collaborated with the city of Tucson, Pima County and local nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity Tucson. Its focus is to gain insight into how low-income residents navigate challenges and sustain themselves in the Tucson metro area.

The community forum is free and open to the public.

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Researcher contact:
Brian Mayer
School of Sociology
520-626-2190
brianmayer@arizona.edu

Media contact:
Laurie Galbraith
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences
520-626-1219
lgalbraith@arizona.edu

Established in 1885, the University of Arizona is the state's flagship, land-grant institution. The U of A ranks among America's top institutions, focusing on student access and success while driving a $1 billion research enterprise and engaging communities throughout the state, nation and world. As a leading Research 1 institution and member of the Association of American Universities, the U of A advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships. With two accredited medical schools, designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, recognition as a premier university for service members, distinguished programs in management information systems, planetary sciences, dance, photography, and public and applied humanities, the U of A offers the world to its students while uplifting Arizona.