​SAACA Provides Arts Care Packages to 500+ Residents and Patients at Local Assisted Living and Critical Care Service Centers in Southern Arizona

The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) has assembled a community-wide Arts Care Package Campaign to provide assisted living communities and hospital patients with a diverse array of creative experiences including music, craft kits, journaling and DIY arts projects, all designed for residents to enjoy from the comfort of their own rooms.

The individually wrapped and sanitized packages are assembled from an overwhelming response of donations from local artists, makers and musicians, as well as SAACA partner Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange. 

​Each Arts Care Package is assembled with hundreds of activities and arts experiences which could be delivered to the rooms of individuals receiving treatment and care at the partnering communities. Kits included: DIY bookmarks and journaling kits, CD’s from local musicians, adult coloring pages designed by local artists, as well as greeting cards, jewelry and hands-on craft projects.  
Below is a list of the types of items we are looking to create, and provide. We are looking for 15-25 small kits or items per person to be donated. 
  • Local Music CD's
  • Arts & Crafts Kits
  • Jewelry & Beading
  • Crochet & Knitting
  • Paint & Watercolor at Home Kit
  • Origami
  • Greeting Cards
  • Coloring Sheets
  • Ornaments
  • Button Art
  • Painted Wood Projects
  • STEM Learning Projects
  • Yarn Baskets​
To date, SAACA has received tremendous support from community partners with support from over 50 artists, musicians, and organizations who contributed materials for the kits. Donors ranged from businesses like Tucson Art Lab and Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, to arts institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and dozens of individual artists and musicians.

SAACA conducted an initial drop-off to local assisted living communities and healthcare facilities on Monday April 27, 2020. The first communities to receive Arts Care Packages included the Southern Arizona Veterans Administration Campus, Catalina Springs Memory Care in Oro Valley, and the Joey and Annette Medina Aguilera Home, with additional donations to Fountains of La Cholla, St. Luke's Home and Foothills Place.  
"Serving our community’s most at-risk senior populations has always been a cornerstone of SAACA’s work in Southern Arizona, whether it be through our Music and Memory program or our weekly art therapy outreach and programming” said SAACA Executive Director, Kate Marquez. “As soon as our community began to grapple with the COVID-19 outbreak, our team began priority conversations on how we can best serve our community. This program is one of the many ways in which we knew we could impact those most in need, but also to activate the dynamic power of arts as a source of inspiration and communication during this time of isolation.” 

With the outpouring of support from local musicians, artists and organizations, SAACA hopes to continue the work and distribution of the Arts Care Packages through continual program expansion in communities throughout the region. SAACA is dedicated to serving these most at-risk populations, as we know the long-term effects of COVID-19 will be felt hardest in these communities.