TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — For 50 years, the United Nations Association Center and Gift Shop has connected Tucson shoppers to communities around the world.
The volunteer-run nonprofit, located in Monterey Village at 6242 E. Speedway, has raised more than $2 million for UNICEF since opening its doors in 1974.
Every tax-free purchase goes toward supporting UNICEF’s mission to improve the lives of children worldwide.
From handwoven scarves and jewelry to home décor and clothing, each fair-trade item in the store tells a story of culture and compassion. Lynn Norris, who helps run the shop, says the mission goes beyond what’s on the shelves.
“It grounds us in our own identity. It’s a lot of who we are, but it is also a gift to the world,” Norris explains.
This year marks the shop’s 50th anniversary, and they have plans to celebrate. Here’s a link to the events happening today, Friday, as well as Saturday.
It’s not just the items that make the shop special, it’s the people. Every person behind the counter is there on their own time, volunteering to help make a difference.
“Volunteers are our entire floor staff, and they're our board. We have 2.5 employees, and the rest is volunteers, so we could not open our doors without our volunteers. We're always looking for new volunteers,” Norris explains.
Norris says one of her favorite items is "Mr. Elli Poo" and he comes from Sri Lanka. She explains, "their slogan is poo happens, which it does, we all know, but again this supports the elephant reserve to keep that sanctuary for the elephants open.”
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Athena Kehoe is a multimedia journalist and producer at KGUN 9. Four years ago, Athena moved to Arizona and has not looked back at the Midwest since. She is a very avid basketball and football fan, so you might hear her getting into the games at local Tucson sports hangouts. She is eager to share stories among the Tucson community and you can reach her at athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter or LinkedIn.
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