Download the Desert Mission Impact Report (PDF format)

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“Thank you for your generous support and continued belief in Desert Mission’s enduring legacy of making health and social services accessible to those who need them most.

In times of uncertainty and growing need, your partnership offers hope, stability and opportunity, strengthening individuals, families and communities for years to come.”

— Haeli Miceli, MPA
Executive Director, Desert Mission and Community Services

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Exponential impact

Together with you and through the coordinated strength of Lincoln Learning Center, Adult Day Health Care, Living Well and the Food Bank, we supported children, adults and families with services designed to meet real needs and support long-term wellbeing.

Here’s a snapshot of the impact you had in our community last year.

Adult Day Health Care
In 2025, we responded to rising community need by increasing program enrollments by 19 percent, expanded connection across generations through a partnership with Young Arts Arizona that brought a teaching artist into intergenerational art experiences, and enhanced engagement and well-being with the addition of a Rendever Virtual Reality system, made possible by our generous donors.

• Total members served | 79
• Average length of membership | 3.13 years
• Percentage of members with Alzheimer’s and other types of Dementia | 90 percent
• Percentage of members receiving financial assistance | Approximately 52 percent
• Percentage of members who are Veterans | 20 percent
• Ages
  • Youngest | 53
  • Oldest | 100

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Food Bank
Last year, demand soared and we rose to the challenge, serving a historic record of 460 households in just 5.5 hours. For 58 percent of our guests, it was their first visit to a food bank.

Our community answered the call with an outpouring of volunteers and donations, ensuring neighbors had access to food when they needed it most. Now that rising numbers are the “new normal,” we continue to look for volunteers’ assistance.

To accommodate growing numbers and streamline operations, the food bank received a generously donated walk-in cooler and three-door fridge, expanded the front market area to offer more food, and installed long-awaited A/C units, improving safety and comfort for volunteers and staff while helping preserve the food we provide.

• Total households served onsite | 65,222 (13 percent increase)
• Total individuals served onsite | 137,234 (23 percent increase)
• Total pounds distributed onsite | 4,003,701 (31 percent increase)
• Percentage of households that visited a food bank for the first time | 58 percent
• Percentage of households that visited one time only | 44 percent
• School pantries
  • Number of school pantry distributions | 22 (doubled from 2024)
  • Number of households served | 3,151
  • Pounds of food distributed | 65,488
• Snack Packs
  • Washington Elementary School District | 21 schools
  • Deer Valley | 1 school
  • Snack packs distributed | 14,190 (90.6 percent increase from 2024)
• Farm stand events | 27
• Number of gardens | 5
• Clinic food boxes | 273

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Lincoln Learning Center
This past year, we welcomed Governor Hobbs to Lincoln Learning Center for a tour and roundtable discussion with families, reinforcing the importance of early childhood education and family voice.

We successfully completed our biannual Quality First assessment, demonstrating our continued commitment to high-quality care. We also collaborated with HonorHealth’s IT department to repurpose refurbished hospital iPads for our school-age children, expanding access to learning and homework support while reducing e-waste and saving organizational resources.

• Total number of children served | 284
• Percentage of pre-K Graduates assessed as Kindergarten-ready | 97 percent
• 5 Star First Things First Quality First rating | Recognized for this high achievement by significantly exceeding quality standards and high-quality practices
• Percentage of children receiving financial assistance | 29 percent
• Percentage of children assessed with learning delays | 22 percent

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Living Well
While our Food Bank’s role is to feed the line, Living Well aims to shorten it by addressing the root causes of food insecurity through personalized community resource navigation based on each guest’s unique needs.

We provide direct connections to critical supports such as public benefits, emergency rent, utility and transportation assistance and we extend this work to HonorHealth patients through our Social Determinants of Health initiative. 

Total guests who received resource navigation and individualized support services
| 1,539

Number of Community Cares referrals accepted | 842

SNAP enrollment applications | 47

Additional Programs & Services

• Heart of Sunnyslope | Over 400 attendees explored local health and wellbeing vendors and resources; 164 produce bags were distributed to community members
• Back to School | distributed 1,377 backpacks
• Turkey Distribution | 2,000 turkeys and Thanksgiving dinner groceries were distributed to community members in three hours
• Holiday Adopt a Family | 215 families were adopted by 153 donors

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Because of you

As a nonprofit, community-based healthcare system, HonorHealth relies on your kindness and generosity to help provide the exceptional care you and your family expect and deserve.

Every client’s experience with HonorHealth Desert Mission is made possible through philanthropy. Because of you, we remain committed to building stronger, healthier communities together.

When you give through HonorHealth Foundation, you support more than great care. Your contributions improve health and well-being, fuel medical breakthroughs, advance innovative research and transform lives across our community and beyond.

Caring for our community requires the support of donors like you. We profoundly thank you for making your gift and joining HonorHealth Desert Mission in helping to make health and social services available to everyone!

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 Download the Desert Mission Impact Report (PDF format)