Saint Francis Community Services Opens New Food Pantry in Tucson

The new location is serving over 250 people weekly amid changes to SNAP benefits requirements.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Saint Francis Community Services has opened a larger food pantry at the corner of 1st and Prince in Tucson, Arizona to help residents who have lost access to SNAP benefits due to new work requirements. The pantry provides groceries, hygiene products, clean clothes, and other essentials to anyone in need, no SNAP enrollment required. Demand has significantly increased, with the pantry now serving over 250 people weekly.

Why it matters

The new SNAP work requirements have left some Tucson residents without food assistance, making the services provided by the Saint Francis Community Services food pantry crucial for addressing growing food insecurity in the area. The pantry's open-access model and expanded capacity aim to bridge the gap for individuals and families facing hardship.

The details

Saint Francis Community Services' new food pantry location at 1st and Prince is serving more than 250 people weekly, over 100 more than their previous site. The pantry provides groceries, hygiene products, clean clothes, and other essentials to anyone in need, with no SNAP enrollment required. This comes as new SNAP rules require recipients to work at least 80 hours per month to qualify for benefits, leaving some Tucson residents like D'Anna Soto without food assistance. Soto says the Saint Francis pantry has been a lifeline, helping her through a difficult situation.

  • The new Saint Francis Community Services food pantry opened in March 2026.
  • New SNAP work requirements went into effect in December 2025, cutting off benefits for some Tucson residents.

The players

Saint Francis Community Services

A local nonprofit organization that provides food, clothing, and other essential services to Tucson residents in need.

D'Anna Soto

A Tucson resident who lost her SNAP benefits due to the new work requirements and has been relying on the Saint Francis food pantry.

Shawn Milligan

The director of Saint Francis Community Services, who has overseen the expansion of the organization's food pantry to meet growing demand.

Terry Galbreath

A volunteer at the Saint Francis food pantry, who says the work goes beyond just providing food and aims to treat clients with dignity.

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What they’re saying

“With everything going on with the economy, I got cut off from food stamps. I've been cut off since December — it's been really hard. I don't have any other income.”

— D'Anna Soto (kgun9.com)

“Saint Francis has helped me a lot.”

— D'Anna Soto (kgun9.com)

“We've been able to help bridge the gap for individuals and families facing food insecurity.”

— Shawn Milligan, Director of Saint Francis Community Services (kgun9.com)

“There are a lot of people out there that need help, and they're hungry. It's a big deal for them to be recognized, to be called by name, to be treated with dignity.”

— Terry Galbreath, Volunteer at Saint Francis food pantry (kgun9.com)

What’s next

Saint Francis Community Services plans to continue expanding the capacity and services of the new food pantry to meet the growing need in the Tucson community.

The takeaway

The opening of the Saint Francis Community Services food pantry in Tucson highlights the vital role that community-based organizations play in supporting residents who have lost access to government food assistance programs. The pantry's open-access model and focus on dignity and respect for clients demonstrate a compassionate approach to addressing food insecurity.