Luz Social Service Inc.

Luz Social Services, Inc. located at 2797 N. Introspect Dr. Tucson Arizona. Photo by Allana Erickson

Luz Social Service Inc. is a non-profit  agency that deals with numerous types of service programs to help the Hispanic, as well as the non-Hispanic, population in Tucson.

 

“Luz Social Service helps with adult education, drug use prevention, nutrition, parenthood and school programs,” said Ralph Chavez, principle of the Luz Academy in Tucson, Arizona. 

Luz started in 1971 and was the brain child of Dr. Pepe Barron, a Mexican American who was looking to better the Hispanic people of Tucson, 

“Dr. Barron is a great man,” said Chavez. “Luz means light in Spanish. He created this agency to bring the light to people.” 

Originally, Luz was created to help fight of drug abuse problems in Tucson. The idea of the organization was that if they could curb substance abuse then they could help stop juvenile crime, school dropouts, violence, drug possessions, arrests, teen pregnancy, and liquor violations. 

Luz has been awarded more than five different types of grants and or their work in preventing drug use with at risk children in low income neighborhoods. Luz has partnered with many agencies across Southern Arizona and 17 different towns in creating and implementing drug prevention measures. 

“Dr. Barron was very concerned that kids don’t turn to drugs or violence that he even decided to create a school to give children alternative means,” said Chavez. “Dr. Barron loves kids.” 

Ten years ago Luz Social Service created the Luz-Guerrero Early College High School. The charter school is broken into a middle 

The sign for Luz Academy located on the property. Photo by Allana Erickson

school and a high school that is located right next to Luz Social Services administrative building. The school receives aid from NCLR AmeriCorps who help train and gives volunteers to the school. 

“The school offers a wide range of activities in cultural awareness and prevention programs,” said Chavez. “The school also buses students in south side [of Tucson] and reservation so they may have a chance at our school and receive college credit.” 

Luz Social Service has also created the program, Center for Cultural Competence, a centralized program that collects relevant data, theories and statistics dealing with charters schools that have a large Hispanic population. 

Luz Social Service has also helped create the Hispanic Sports and Academic Enrichment Program (HSAEP). HSAEP is a program to help enrich student’s lives through the sports and academic involvement. The program was created to honor students who had a good academic record, attendance record and who showed sportsmen like conduct. 

Though Luz Social Services does receive grants for some of their programs, they do still ask for donations and volunteers. 

“We do lack funding,” said Chavez. “We have enough money to run the school but it would be nice to have funding for more technologies and maybe other art programs.” 

If you would like to learn more about Luz Social Services or like to donate then please call(520) 882-6216 or fax (520) 623-929.