Iskashitaa Refugee Network
Iskashitaa Refugee Network is a community resource serving Tucsonans in need.
About Iskashitaa Refugee Network
Iskashitaa Refugee Network is a nonprofit community resource serving refugees and the broader Tucson community through sustainable food initiatives, hands-on educational programs, and community partnerships. Its work centers on creating opportunities for refugees to share, learn, work, and build meaningful connections while supporting a more resilient and inclusive local food system. Through food-based programs, Iskashitaa helps integrate refugees into Arizona and addresses food security among refugees in the Tucson community.
One part of the organization's work begins with harvesting. Iskashitaa volunteers collect usable produce from residential trees, community and urban gardens, and the Tucson desert. The harvests make use of food that otherwise would have gone to waste, while giving community members a way to participate directly in the organization's programs. Residents with trees that need harvesting can request a harvest, and volunteers can join harvesting activities.
Harvested produce, along with food donations from community partners, is used in several ways. Iskashitaa gives produce to refugees weekly to increase food security, and it also turns some of the harvest into food products through food preservation workshops. These products are sold through the organization's online shop. The preservation program offers another hands-on way for volunteers to take part, connecting food recovery with learning, shared work, and the creation of products for the community.
The Refugee Garden Art Program brings volunteers and U.N. refugees together every Wednesday. Participants garden, practice language, create art projects, and share culture as a community. The program reflects Iskashitaa's broader approach, which links food, education, cultural exchange, and relationship building. The organization also maintains opportunities for people to get involved through volunteering, events, donations, and its online shop. Volunteer hours can be recorded through the organization's volunteer tracking system.
Iskashitaa Refugee Network operates in Tucson, with an office on East 2nd Street. The organization is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and offers scholarships for refugees or asylum seekers involved with Iskashitaa through the Susan Marie Troutman Refugee Advancement Fund. People interested in participating can begin by requesting a harvest, joining a harvest or Refugee Garden Art Program activity, learning about food preservation volunteering, or exploring upcoming events and other involvement options through the organization.