Casa Maria
Meet at the Newman Center on Mondays and Thursdays at 8 AM to help serve at the Casa Maria. Casa Maria is a Catholic Worker Community in South Tucson that serves the poor and homeless. For more information visit CasaMariaTucson.org.
Kino Border Initiative
Kino Border Initiative is a Jesuit run organization just south of the Mexico-US border in Nogales, Arizona/Sonora that serves recently deported migrants with two meals a day for 15 days. On certain days they also provide basic first aid and clothing to those in need. Kino Border Initiative also maintains a women’s shelter that acts as a safe haven for the few women and young children that cross the border and find themselves deported. For more information visit KinoBorderInitiative.org.
Primavera Foundation
Not far from the University, this shelter provides men with a place to stay for a given amount of time, hot meals and resources to help them find employment. The second Sunday of every month a group of volunteers from the Newman center buys food, prepares breakfast and serves it to the men. Hearing the stories of these men is inspiring and a wonderful opportunity to make authentic human connections. For more information contact Ryan Nussbaum at rpn@email.arizona.edu.
Café Justo
Café Justo is a coffee grower cooperative based in Salvador Urbina, Chiapas, Mexico. They market a pure, organic coffee which is grown, harvested and marketed in the spirit of justice. Their goal is to provide incentives for people to remain on their family lands. Café Justo’s business model is simple and optimizes the profit for the growers. Their coffee is sold the first weekend of every month after each mass in the lobby at Newman. For more information contact Kevin Frederick at kfred@email.arizona.edu .
Tucson March-For-Life
Every year, members of the Newman Center attend the Tucson March-For-Life as a memorial of the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade US Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. It is a great way to support the protection of all human life, especially women and their unborn children. For more information, visit TucsonMarchForLife.org.
Alternative Spring Break
During Spring Break, groups from the Newman Center travel to different place for an immersion experience with social justice. Past trips have included Chiapas, Mexico, East L.A., and South Tucson.
Social Justice Speaker Series
Once a month, we bring in a guest speaker to discuss different topics relating to social justice and the Church’s teachings.
Food Collection
During every mass celebrated on the weekend at Newman there is a collection of food taken during the procession of the gifts. An announcement is made each mass to ask those who brought food to present it at the altar. We have a dedicated group of volunteers who sort the food and drop it off at various organizations in need. This is a wonderful way to extend a hand to those who have far less. A list of needed foods can be found at uacatholic.org/foodcollection.
Contact Information:
Coordinator: Sr. Angelica Velez, OP – angelica@msjdominicans.org
Student Coordinator: Caroline Kelly- crkelly@email.arizona.edu
