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Good News Network

Building Pathways to Care: How Community Health Workers Are Strengthening Pima County

Meet Donna and Hershey, Community Health Workers at United Way of Tucson

In Pima County, Community Health Workers (CHWs) at United Way are playing a vital role in strengthening the healthcare workforce and supporting families navigating caregiving. Through outreach, training, and ongoing support, they are helping residents step into meaningful careers while improving the health of the community.

Supporting Career Pathways into Healthcare

For Hershey, the most rewarding part of the role is helping community members take their first steps into healthcare careers.

What do you like most about your job as a Community Health Worker at United Way?

I enjoy supporting and uplifting my community members to achieve their goal of entering the healthcare field.

Who do you help and how do you support them?

Through the Direct Care Workforce Resource, I assist residents of Pima County that are interested in caregiving by removing barriers to entering the Direct Care Workforce. We provide support with finances, job placement, a monthly peer support group and an annual caregiver appreciation event.

What do you want people to know about community health workers?

Although a Community Health Worker is not a healthcare professional, they often provide light medical care such as immunizations and wound care to improve the overall health of the community. My role is a bit different in that I provide resources to help people enter the healthcare field, with the same overall goal of improving the health of my community.

Why do you think roles like yours are important to United Way’s mission of building a stronger, healthier community?

The population of older adults is rising and there is an increased need for Direct Care Workers. My role at United Way is meant to help bridge that gap.

How can people get involved with your program?

Call 520-903-3913 or sign up using for following link: https://unitedwaytucson.org/direct-care/

Supporting Families and Caregivers

Both Hershey and Donna emphasize that their work extends beyond workforce development—it’s about supporting people through deeply personal caregiving journeys.

Donna highlights the emotional side of caregiving:

What do you like most about your job as a Community Health Worker at United Way?
I love this job because I help families who are struggling to care for older adults or children with long-term health issues. We provide a step-by-step approach to help them achieve their caregiving goals with confidence and encouragement, and that is where I come in as a Community Health Worker.

Who do you help and how do you support them?
I conduct outreach in the community and work with partnered health agencies to recruit candidates seeking employment as Direct Care Workers (non-medical). My role is to provide financial support for their training, such as First Aid/CPR, infection control, ongoing mentorship, and DCW certification.

Many of these participants are family members who want to be trained as effective healthcare workers for in-home care. Caring for a loved one can be stressful and overwhelming at times, and as a CHW, we provide peer support group gatherings on the third Wednesday of each month. These gatherings offer a safe space to listen, share experiences, and provide encouragement.

What do you want people to know about community health workers?
Community Health Workers play many different roles in the healthcare industry. At United Way, CHWs are unique. Not only are we community health workers, but we are also trained and certified Direct Care Workers.

Our roles include providing financial assistance, advocacy, and experienced support for healthcare workers and their families by connecting them with resources in the community. Other healthcare organizations across the country have reached out to us to learn more about our services.

Why do you think roles like yours are important to United Way’s mission of building a stronger, healthier community?
United Way supports the community from cradle to career and through the end of life. Our roles help recruit individuals with compassion, dedication, and a desire to care for others, and we provide the training needed to become direct caregivers.

We encourage them to use these gifts to support older adults, children with disabilities, and individuals with terminal illnesses, helping them receive quality in-home care and maintain dignity and comfort throughout their lives.

How can people get involved with your program?
There are several ways people can get involved with our program. They can support our work by making a donation to help us continue providing these valuable services.

If someone is caring for a family member or friend and is interested in becoming a Direct Care Worker, they can visit our website at unitedwaytucson.org/direct-care/ and complete our contact form to learn more.