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Charter Members of The Service League of Tucson
Today, we are an all-volunteer organization of over 400
members who donate over 45,000
hours to our philanthropic programs serving our community annually. We have no
paid staff and are a non-political, non-sectarian 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
non-profit corporation.
We continue to assess the needs of the Tucson community and
provide relevant projects that address the realities of a
changing environment.
In 1958, Mrs. Ruth Mahnken, field representative of
National Assistance League® met with a group of community-minded women to
explore the possibility of beginning a chapter in Tucson. The
result of that meeting was the formation of The Service League of
Tucson in 1959. This was the first group of its kind to be
organized in Arizona. The group's twenty -two founding members
installed their first board of directors with Mrs. Richard Knight as
President and they set up Homemaker Services to provide temporary
in-home help during illness and recovery.
Membership and support grew and The Service
League of Tucson officially became Assistance League of Tucson after
receiving its charter in May of 1964; The Service League of Tucson
became the thirty-second chapter of National
Assistance League and the first of five chapters in Arizona. After meeting in various locations for the first
five years, Assistance League of Tucson found a permanent home in 1965
when property was purchased on Alvernon Way. A number of building
phases have resulted in the present facilities which house the
administration of our philanthropic programs as well as a large thrift
shop which is a major source of funds for our
programs.
Our 45-year history has seen changes in our
philanthropic programs. In response to changing community needs, some
philanthropic programs have been discontinued and others added. Our
goal continues to be to assess the needs of the community and to provide
relevant programs and services to meet those needs and enhance the lives
of men, women and children in the Tucson area.
To see how we looked back in the
1960's, please click here to see the
photographs from our Archives.
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