TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Southside park transformed into a one-stop resource center for hundreds of people in need or experiencing homelessness.
Dozens of organizations came together at Rudy Garcia Park for a simple goal — to make help easier to find during the "Hope in the Park" event.
Daniel Banks was one of many who attended Hope in the Park.
"They do an outstanding job. Having fairs like this is awesome," Banks said.
He says events like these make a big difference for people struggling to get back on their feet.
"Housing, food, shelter, showers, you know, the basic needs that everybody needs every day. And everybody's struggling with the government shut down," Banks said.
More than 60 community partners filled the park, offering legal aid, housing support and even pet care.
"We have three judges here on site. It's incredible the amount of resources that our community is coming together to provide to everybody," said Zion Alderette, volunteer coordinator for Hope in the Park.
Alderette tells me something as simple as an ID can stand between a person and a job or a place to live. This event helped bridge that gap.
"We have the Motor Vehicle Department here to provide identifications to those that are unable to afford to walk into the DMV and obtain the ID. They're overcoming that specific barrier," Alderette said.
Organizers expected up to 300 people to attend, including over 100 veterans.
For Alderette, the event was personal.
"I know that this means a lot to our community. I know it meant a lot to me personally. I received some of the same services when I was unsheltered," Alderette said.
The next Hope in the Park event is planned for March 2026.
The Multi-Disciplinary Outreach Team from the City of Tucson’s Housing First Division, sponsored and organized Hope in the Park.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
