Sunnyside Foundation's Burrito Run returns for 6th year to kick off week of giving on Southside

Southside residents can start a week of local giving with a morning run, a breakfast burrito and a chance to support students, educators and families across southern Tucson. The Sunnyside Foundation’s sixth annual Burrito Run is scheduled for Sept. 20 at Mission Manor Park, 6100 S. 12th Ave., launching Gives Week 2026, which has a fundraising goal of $130,000. More than 200 people had registered when the event was announced, and organizers are inviting runners, walkers and families to join them.

Check in begins at 7 a.m., with the 5K starting at 8 a.m. The course consists of three laps around the park, followed by the food that gives the event its name: a breakfast burrito for every participant. Registration costs $20 for people age 18 and older, who will also receive a Sunnyside Foundation T shirt. Younger participants can enter at no cost. Registration is available through the foundation’s event website at 2026burritorun.funraise.org.

The race will share Mission Manor Park with a Health and Wellness Fair, giving attendees access to community resources as well as raffles and giveaways. The event is intended to be more than a fundraiser. It is also an opportunity for people connected to the Southside to meet organizations offering services and support. Gives Week will continue through Sept. 24, when the foundation will hold an evening block party at American Eat Co., 1439 S. 4th Ave.

The Burrito Run began with a much longer challenge. In 2020, volunteer Niko Garms helped raise money for the foundation by running from Nogales to Tucson. The following year, organizers reshaped that effort into a community race, creating an event where residents could participate directly while raising money for their neighbors. The sixth running of the 5K now serves as the opening event for the foundation’s fundraising week and its planned anniversary celebration.

The money raised supports programs aimed at reducing barriers for Southside students and households. The foundation’s Excellence Fund provides scholarships for graduating seniors and mini grants for teachers. Its Emergency Relief Fund helps families with necessities including food and utility assistance. Foundation board member Cassandra Becerra said fundraising also supports food distributions and other services for local residents. Although the foundation grew out of its relationship with Sunnyside Unified School District, its service area is broader. Becerra said the organization seeks to help families living on the Southside whether their children attend Sunnyside, Tucson Unified or Amphitheater schools.

That work is taking place in a community facing significant economic and educational challenges. Sunnyside Unified serves Tucson’s Southside and has a minority enrollment of 97%, according to Public School Review, a figure 30 percentage points above the average for Arizona public schools. Census data from 2024 cited by Tucson Spotlight showed that 26.3% of families in the district live at or below the poverty level, about 10 percentage points higher than the state and national averages. Those conditions help explain why emergency assistance, scholarships and classroom funding remain central to the foundation’s mission.

The organization was created in 1991 by Sunnyside Unified graduates who wanted to reinvest in educational opportunities, infrastructure and community programs. In its impact report for the 2024 to 2025 school year, the foundation said it reached more than 30,000 children, families and educators. That work included $164,000 in scholarships and emergency assistance for more than 7,000 households. The foundation describes itself as a hub for community improvement initiatives and giving on Tucson’s Southside, a role that has expanded beyond direct financial aid.

One example is its partnership with the University of Arizona. In 2023, the foundation worked with the university to involve students in community based learning connected to southern Tucson, leading to three new UA courses focused on the area and the El Pueblo Recreation Center near West Irvington Road and South 6th Avenue. The center, whose first director was the late Rep. Raul Grijalva, has long been an important gathering place for the community. During last year’s 50th anniversary observance, student work from those courses was included in exhibits examining El Pueblo’s history and revitalization. UA educators said the foundation helped connect university research and teaching with residents, local stakeholders and community preservation efforts.

Organizers say the $130,000 goal is necessary to keep that range of work moving, from teacher mini grants and student scholarships to food distribution and emergency relief. The foundation’s anniversary Gives Week is also a reminder that contributions do not have to be large to matter. Becerra said Southside residents have consistently shown generosity and that the organization works to stretch whatever support it receives as far as possible. For Tucsonans who want to participate in person, the Burrito Run offers a low cost entry point, a health fair and a shared breakfast. For those who cannot attend, information about Gives Week and the foundation’s programs is available at sunnysidefoundation.org/gives-week.