Our Story
Community Extension Programs, Inc., (CEP) has enjoyed a 50-year tradition of serving the needs of Tucson’s youth and their families. Our community-wide programs have included: a well-established before and after-school childcare program called Purposeful Afterschool Learning (P.A.L), High School Summer and Distance Learning Programs, Summers are Fun and Educational (S.A.F.E.) Summer Program, Middle School Remediation Classes, Behind the Wheel Drivers Education Courses, Adult Community Education Classes, and Grades 1-6 STEM Program. These essential programs have sustained and enriched the lives of over 35,000 local families throughout our long history.
By early 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic hit and CEP’s work and mission transformed dramatically. With schools closing and facing uncertain futures, CEP has reinvented itself from a primary focus on childcare programs to a philanthropic organization. In our post-pandemic reality, we believe the need for assistance and support for our community’s impoverished, disadvantaged and under-served people is greater than ever. With the help of our generous donors and community partners, our newly incorporated vision will focus on providing targeted assistance to families, individuals and children in dire financial need; bill assistance programs; programs for victims of sexual and domestic abuse; and, our ever-increasing homeless individuals and families in Tucson.
Today, Community Extension Programs is proud of our rich history and we are motivated and dedicated to shifting our focus to reaching a larger sector of those in need. To meet that end, our funding of established programs within our family of non-profit partners has begun.
Our most recent donations to Assistance League® of Tucson and Youth On Their Own (YOTO) demonstrate a strong start to our new role in the community. This spring our Board of Directors approved donations of $15,000 to Assistance League® to programs supporting youth and families; and, $10,000 to Youth On Their Own for support of their Alumni Program that provides scholarships, monthly stipend financial assistance, the purchase of basic need in the Mini Mall and transportation and bill assistance.
Anyone interested in supporting CEP’s efforts with donations or volunteering opportunities can find out more information by emailing Victoria Cook, vcook@cep-az.org or Bill Walther, bwalther@cep-az.org or calling Lindie Hunter at our main office phone, 520-965-8298.