activities · 34
what they do
direct service · 33
- Adult Day Health Care Services Adult Day Health Care ProgramsOperates Arizona’s first licensed Adult Day Health Care center, providing therapeutic social and community activities, nutritious meals, nursing care, personal care assistance, and social services for participants, with a 19% increase in enrollments and the introduction of a Virtual Reality system.
- Adult Day Health Care ServicesProvides comprehensive adult day health care services, including therapeutic social and community activities, nutritious meals, nursing care, personal care assistance, social services, counseling, and transportation for participants and support for their care partners. The program increased enrollments by 19% and introduced a Virtual Reality system for engagement.
- Adult Day Health Care Services Caregiver Support and Education ServicesProvides comprehensive adult day health care services, including therapeutic social and community activities, nutritious meals, nursing care, personal care assistance, social services, counseling, and transportation for participants and support for their care partners.
- Back to School Program Back-to-School Supply DistributionDistributes backpacks to students through the Back to School program, having distributed 1,377 backpacks.
- Care Partner Support ServicesOffers respite, resources, and support groups for care partners of individuals enrolled in the adult day health care program.
- Community Engagement and Volunteer ProgramsEngages individuals and groups in volunteer activities to support community members, including hosting events like the Annual Postal Drive, Walk-up Turkey Distribution, and the Holiday Adopt a Family program which facilitated the adoption of 215 families by 153 donors.
- Community Engagement and Volunteer ProgramsEngages individuals and groups in volunteer activities to support community members and facilitates programs like Holiday Adopt a Family.
- Community Resource Navigation Homeless Health Navigation & Care AccessProvides individualized resource navigation services through Community Service Specialists, connecting individuals to public benefits, emergency assistance, low-cost health services, housing resources, and financial coaching, resulting in 842 accepted CommunityCares referrals and 47 SNAP enrollment applications.
- Community Resource Navigation and Support Homeless Health Navigation & Care AccessProvides individualized resource navigation services, connecting individuals to community resources such as public benefits, emergency assistance, low-cost health services, housing resources, and financial coaching, employment, and career services. This includes facilitating SNAP enrollment applications and CommunityCares referrals.
- Community Resource Navigation and Support Homeless Health Navigation & Care AccessProvides individualized resource navigation services, connecting individuals to public benefits, emergency assistance, low-cost health services, housing resources, financial coaching, and employment services. This includes facilitating SNAP enrollment applications and CommunityCares referrals.
- Community Resource Navigation and Support Homeless Health Navigation & Care AccessConnects individuals to community resources such as public benefits, emergency assistance, low-cost health services, housing resources, and provides individualized resource navigation services, including assistance with SNAP enrollment applications.
- Early Childhood Education and ChildcareProvides accredited early education and childcare services for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, including daily healthy meals and free annual developmental screenings, with a focus on kindergarten readiness.
- Early Childhood Education and ChildcareProvides early education and childcare services for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, including daily healthy meals and free annual developmental screenings for all enrolled children. The program served 284 children at Lincoln Learning Center, with 97% of pre-K graduates assessed as kindergarten-ready.
- Early Childhood Education and ChildcareProvides early education and childcare services for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, including free annual developmental screenings for 100% of enrolled children and daily healthy meals through participation in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, serving 284 children at Lincoln Learning Center with 97% of pre-K graduates assessed as kindergarten-ready.
- Early Education and ChildcareProvides accredited early education and childcare services for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years, including daily healthy meals and free annual developmental screenings. The program served 284 children at Lincoln Learning Center, with 97% of pre-K graduates assessed as kindergarten-ready.
- Financial and Employment Support Services Employment & Financial CoachingOffers financial coaching, employment, and career services to support participants' financial well-being.
- Food Bank Operations and Distribution On-Campus and Pop-Up Food PantriesOperates a food bank that provides food assistance to individuals and families, distributing over 4 million pounds of food to 65,222 households and 137,234 individuals annually through onsite operations, emergency food boxes, and community pantries. This includes serving first-time visitors, providing monthly food packages, and distributing infant formula.
- Food Bank Operations and Food Distribution On-Campus and Pop-Up Food PantriesOperates a food bank that provides food assistance through direct service and community programs, distributing over 4 million pounds of food to 65,222 households and 137,234 individuals annually. This includes emergency food boxes, community pantries, and specialized programs for infants, seniors, and school-age children.
- Mobile Farm Stand Program Community Garden with Food DonationOperates a mobile farm stand that distributes fresh, seasonal, Arizona-grown produce, including citrus, root vegetables, and melons, to community locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale at affordable prices.
- Mobile Farm Stand Program Community Garden with Food DonationOperates a mobile farm stand that distributes fresh, seasonal, Arizona-grown produce, including organic options, to community locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale at affordable prices.
- Nutrition Education and Gardening Classes Nutrition and Food Preservation EducationOffers nutrition education to clients to promote healthy and affordable eating using food from the food bank, and provides seasonal gardening classes to teach individuals how to grow nutritious produce.
- Nutrition Education and Gardening Classes Nutrition and Food Preservation EducationOffers nutrition education to clients using food from the food bank to promote healthy and affordable eating, and provides seasonal gardening classes to teach individuals how to grow nutritious produce.
- Nutrition Education and Healthy Eating Programs Nutrition and Food Preservation EducationOffers nutrition education, free recipe resources, and seasonal gardening classes to promote healthy and affordable eating and teach individuals how to grow nutritious produce.
- Nutrition Education and Healthy Living Programs Nutrition and Food Preservation EducationOffers nutrition education to clients using food from the food bank, provides free recipe resources, and conducts seasonal gardening classes to promote healthy and affordable eating and teach individuals how to grow nutritious produce.
- School and Employee Pantry Network On-Campus and Pop-Up Food PantriesExpands food access through a network of pantries, including four cancer care pantries, two school pantries, one community housing pantry, two clinic-based food box sites, and seven HonorHealth employee pantries, distributing 65,488 pounds of food through 22 school pantry distributions.
- Seasonal Community Support Programs Holiday Food and Gift DistributionOrganizes and facilitates seasonal programs such as the Holiday Adopt a Family program, which connected 215 families with 153 donors, and the Back to School program, which distributed 1,377 backpacks to students.
- Seasonal and Holiday Distribution Events Holiday Food and Gift DistributionOrganizes and hosts seasonal and holiday distribution events, including a Back to School program distributing 1,377 backpacks, a Thanksgiving distribution providing 2,000 turkeys and groceries, and a Holiday Adopt a Family program facilitating adoptions for 215 families by 153 donors.
- Seasonal and Holiday Distribution Programs Holiday Food and Gift DistributionOrganizes and executes seasonal distribution events such as the Back to School program for backpacks and Thanksgiving dinner groceries, including turkeys.
- Senior Food AssistanceDistributes monthly food boxes to income-qualified seniors within the Desert Mission service area.
- Snack Pack Program School-Based Meal ProgramsProvides weekly bags of nutritious food to school-age children through the Snack Pack Program in partnership with local schools, distributing 14,190 snack packs to students across 22 schools.
- Team Member Pantry Operations On-Campus and Pop-Up Food PantriesOperates team member pantries at eight locations within the HonorHealth network to provide food assistance to employees.
- Team Member Pantry Program On-Campus and Pop-Up Food PantriesOperates team member pantries at eight locations within the HonorHealth network to provide food assistance to employees.
- Volunteer Engagement Volunteer Mobilization & ManagementEngages individuals and groups in volunteer activities to support community members and various programs.
capacity building · 1
- Paramedic Training Fire & Emergency Services Training CoordinationTrained the first class of Phoenix Fire Department paramedics.
strategies · 34
how they think
Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any to see the full field of orgs running the same approach.
- Address social determinants of health through integrated services social_determinants_of_healthDesert Mission integrates medical and social services to address root causes of poor health, such as food insecurity, employment, education, and access to public benefits, recognizing that social and economic factors have a greater impact on health outcomes than healthcare alone.
- Addressing Social Determinants of Health social_determinants_of_healthThe organization addresses social and economic factors like employment, education, and financial stability, and connects individuals to public benefits and emergency assistance, recognizing that these factors significantly impact overall health outcomes beyond traditional healthcare.
- Addressing Social Determinants of Health social_determinants_of_healthThe organization addresses social and economic factors like employment, education, and financial stability, recognizing their significant impact on overall health outcomes beyond traditional healthcare. This includes connecting individuals to public benefits and emergency assistance.
- Caregiver Support Model caregiver_support_modelThe organization operates an adult day health care model that provides respite, resources, and support services to both participants and their care partners.
- Caregiver Support through Adult Day Health Care caregiver_support_modelThe organization operates an adult day health care model that provides respite, resources, and support services to both participants and their care partners, recognizing the dual needs of those involved in caregiving.
- Community Volunteer Engagement for Expanded Impact community_volunteer_engagementThe organization leverages volunteer engagement from individuals and groups for various activities, including food recovery, sorting, and holiday food distribution, to expand its community impact and facilitate inclusive access.
- Community Volunteer Engagement for Expanded Impact community_volunteer_engagementThe organization leverages volunteer engagement from individuals and groups to expand its community impact, including for food recovery, sorting, and holiday food distribution.
- Community-Driven Resiliency and Integrated Health Services community-driven_resiliencyThe organization uses community-based programs focused on resiliency and self-sufficiency to improve health and well-being across age groups, integrating medical and social services to address both health and social needs.
- Community-Driven Resiliency and Integrated Health Services community_driven_resiliencyThe organization improves health and well-being across age groups through community-based programs focused on resiliency and self-sufficiency, and addresses health and social needs via an integrated model combining medical and social services.
- Community-Driven Volunteer Engagement community_volunteer_engagementThe organization leverages volunteer engagement from individuals and groups for various activities, including food recovery, sorting, and holiday food distribution, to expand its community impact and facilitate inclusive access to services.
- Deliver evidence-based early childhood education research-based_curriculumDesert Mission’s early education programs use Creative Curriculum, a research-based model aligned with state standards, to provide age-appropriate, high-quality learning experiences for young children.
- Dual Approach to Expand Food Access direct-and-innovative-service-modelThe organization employs a dual approach of direct food services and innovative offsite programs to expand food access across its service area and network.
- Dual Approach to Food Access: Direct and Innovative Offsite Services direct_and_innovative_service_modelThe organization employs a dual approach of direct food services and innovative offsite programs, including mobile distribution and partnerships with local farming co-ops, to expand food access across its service area and the broader health network.
- Dual-Approach Service Delivery direct_and_innovative_service_modelThe organization expands food access through a dual approach that combines direct food services with innovative offsite programs, reaching a broader community and network.
- Expand access through mobile and local food systems mobile_distributionDesert Mission increases food access in underserved areas by operating a mobile farm stand that distributes locally sourced, seasonal produce in partnership with a local farming co-op.
- Holistic Caregiver Support Model caregiver_support_modelThe organization operates an adult day health care model that provides respite, resources, and support services, benefiting both participants and their care partners.
- Integrated Food Access and Nutrition Education integrated_food_and_educationThe organization provides food access, nutrition education using accessible recipes, and empowerment through direct food distribution and community-based programs, prioritizing nutritious, low-fat, and low-sodium food to support client health and well-being.
- Integrated Food Access and Nutrition Education integrated_food_and_educationThe organization provides direct food access alongside nutrition education, empowering individuals to make healthy meals from available ingredients. This includes prioritizing the distribution of nutritious, low-fat, and low-sodium foods.
- Integrated Food Access and Nutrition Education integrated_food_and_educationThe organization provides direct access to nutritious food, prioritizing low-fat and low-sodium options, and couples this with nutrition education using accessible recipes to empower individuals to make healthy meals from available ingredients.
- Integrated Health and Social Services integrated_health_social_servicesThe organization addresses health and social needs through an integrated model that combines medical and social services, fostering community-driven resiliency and self-sufficiency across age groups.
- Mobile Distribution and Local Food System Partnership mobile_distributionThe organization increases access to fresh produce in underserved areas by distributing locally sourced, seasonal fruits and vegetables through a mobile farm stand, partnering with a local farming co-op.
- Mobile and Local Food System Integration mobile_distributionThe organization increases access to fresh produce in underserved areas by distributing locally sourced, seasonal fruits and vegetables through a mobile farm stand, partnering with a local farming co-op.
- Prioritize nutrition-sensitive food distribution with education nutrition-sensitive_distributionBy distributing nutritious, low-fat, and low-sodium foods and providing accessible nutrition education and recipes, Desert Mission empowers food-insecure individuals to make healthy dietary choices and improve long-term well-being.
- Research-Based Early Childhood Education with Intergenerational Activities research-based curriculumThe organization delivers age-appropriate learning activities using a research-based curriculum aligned with state early childhood standards, and incorporates intergenerational activities with seniors into its programming.
- Research-Based Early Childhood Education with Intergenerational Components research_based_curriculumThe organization delivers age-appropriate learning activities using a research-based curriculum aligned with state early childhood standards, and incorporates intergenerational activities with seniors to enrich its early education programming.
- Research-Based Early Education with Intergenerational Programming research_based_curriculumThe organization delivers age-appropriate learning activities using a research-based curriculum aligned with state early childhood standards, and incorporates intergenerational activities with seniors into its early education programming.
- Root Cause Intervention for Long-Term Stability root_cause_interventionThe organization addresses the underlying causes of food insecurity by providing personalized community resource navigation, aiming to help individuals achieve long-term stability.
- Root Cause Intervention through Resource Navigation root-cause interventionThe organization addresses the root causes of food insecurity by providing personalized community resource navigation, aiming to help individuals achieve long-term stability.
- Root Cause Intervention through Resource Navigation root_cause_interventionThe organization addresses the root causes of food insecurity by providing personalized community resource navigation to help individuals achieve long-term stability.
- Strengthen community resiliency through volunteer engagement and resource navigation community_volunteer_engagementDesert Mission builds community-driven resiliency by engaging volunteers in food recovery, distribution, and special events, while offering personalized navigation to community resources and emergency assistance to help individuals achieve long-term stability.
- Supplement in-kind donations with strategic food purchasing supplemental_food_purchasingTo ensure consistent availability of critical food items such as water, proteins, dairy, and staples that are not reliably received through in-kind donations, Desert Mission uses donated funds to purchase nutritious foods.
- Support caregivers and promote intergenerational engagement caregiver_support_modelThrough an adult day health care model and intergenerational programming, Desert Mission provides respite and resources for caregivers while fostering connections between seniors and young children in early education settings.
- Targeted Food Procurement for Nutritional Gaps supplemental_food_purchasingThe organization uses donated funds to purchase critical food items such as water, proteins, dairy, and staples that are not typically received through in-kind donations, ensuring a more complete nutritional offering.
- Targeted Food Purchasing to Supplement Donations supplemental_food_purchasingThe organization uses donated funds to purchase critical food items, such as water, proteins, dairy, and staples, that are not typically received through in-kind donations, ensuring a more complete and nutritious offering.
named programs · 9
what they call their work
Adult Day Health Care
Offers social, cognitive, and recreational activities for seniors, particularly those with Alzheimer’s and dementia, including respite care and caregiver support
Food Bank
Provides emergency food assistance through monthly food packages, senior food boxes, infant food boxes, and nutrition education; serves over 137,000 individuals annually through onsite and offsite distributions
Holiday Adopt a Family
Annual holiday program connecting donors with families in need to provide gifts and support
Lincoln Learning Center
NAEYC-accredited early childhood education center serving children from diverse backgrounds, with financial assistance available and a focus on kindergarten readiness
Living Well
Provides personalized resource navigation to address root causes of food insecurity, including SNAP and AHCCCS enrollment, emergency rent and utility assistance, and connections to community services
Mobile Farm Stand
Offsite program bringing fresh produce to underserved areas through mobile distributions at community sites
School Pantry Program
Operates pantry sites at schools to increase food access for students and families; served over 3,000 households in 2025
Snack Pack Program
Distributes snack packs to children in schools, particularly in Washington Elementary and Deer Valley districts, to address childhood hunger
Turkey Distribution
Provides Thanksgiving meal boxes including turkeys and groceries to thousands of community members
relationships · 21
who they work with
- Child and Adult Care Food Program Government — Partnered with the program to provide healthy meals daily.
- Deer Valley Partner — Distributes snack packs and operates school pantry sites in partnership with Deer Valley schools.
- First Things First Partner — Recognized Lincoln Learning Center as a Quality Site due to its commitment to health and safety.
- HonorHealth Partner — Collaborates on initiatives related to food and health, as indicated by shared imagery and programming focus.
- HonorHealth Partner — Collaborates on volunteer onboarding and management through HonorHealth Volunteer Services.
- HonorHealth Partner — Collaborates to operate the Team Member Pantry at eight locations within the HonorHealth network.
- HonorHealth Partner — Collaborates with HonorHealth to expand food access across the HonorHealth network and through the Social Determinants of Health initiative.
- HonorHealth Partner — Collaborates with HonorHealth to serve employees and patients through the mobile farm stand.
- HonorHealth Partner — Collaborates with HonorHealth to serve patients and operates on the campus of HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center.
- HonorHealth Partner — HonorHealth leadership serves on the Desert Mission Board of Directors, with Haeli Miceli as Executive Director of Desert Mission and Todd LaPorte and Michelle Pabis holding board roles
- HonorHealth Partner — Partner organization associated with the Desert Mission Food Bank.
- HonorHealth Deer Valley Medical Center Partner — Collaborates on community health initiatives and employee support programs.
- HonorHealth John C. Lincoln Medical Center Partner — Collaborates on community health initiatives and employee support programs.
- John C. Lincoln Funder — Primary financial benefactor who contributed funds to purchase the hospital campus and support construction projects.
- National Association for the Education of Young Children – Academy of Early Childhood Programs Partner — Accredited the Lincoln Learning Center since 1993.
- Phoenix Fire Department Partner — Partner agency for which Desert Mission trained the first class of paramedics.
- Presbyterian Church Partner — Original organizing body that initiated Desert Mission activities in 1927.
- Sun Produce Cooperative Partner — Local farming co-op that supplies seasonal, locally grown produce for the mobile farm stand.
- Washington Elementary School District Partner — Distributes snack packs and operates school pantry sites in partnership with the district.
- Young Arts Arizona Partner — Partnership brought a teaching artist into intergenerational art experiences at the Adult Day Health Care program.
- local schools Partner — Partners with local schools to distribute weekend food bags through the Snack Pack Program.