saguaro relief program
Supporting Unhoused Pregnant Community in Phoenix and greater Arizona.
Why this issue? Affordable housing, economic instability, and living without shelter are issues intersecting reproductive justice. Through our Abortion Fund helpline, we have assisted countless individuals over the years who have expressed unstable housing, living on a friend’s couch, or living on the streets while pregnant and needing abortion care.
Pregnant people deserve a safe place to live while experiencing one of the most vulnerable times in their lives, regardless of choosing abortion or continuing a pregnancy. Families deserve to live together without gender separation restrictions at shelters. Advocating for our human right to safe shelter and living environments is essential for human dignity and survival.
The problem: The Metropolitan Phoenix area hardly does much to assist unhoused communities, let alone an unhoused pregnant person. Phoenix erects “safe zones” in the summer for 2-3 months in a downtown corridor, only to dismantle it after a few months and force displacement once again on individuals after having enticed them to migrate to the area.
Public parks often have bathrooms locked up and water fountains shut off to deter unhoused individuals from setting up camps or “staying too long” in parks. There are not enough shelters to address the need. Where are the eviction support networks? Where are the utility assistance networks? Where can people go to safely sleep at night?
On June 28, 2024, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor (6-3) that cities can punish unhoused people for sleeping in public, even if there is no shelter.
This decision allows cities to enforce camping bans and arrest or fine people experiencing homelessness. Grants Pass v. Johnson.
Being unhoused causes significant trauma to the individual and puts them at higher risk of street violence, including sexual assault and rape, and substance use. We have heard the stories from helpline callers.
We see the data in the Maternal Mortality Review Committee (pg 32, pg 42) that pregnant, unhoused individuals are more likely to die in the first year after childbirth or while actively giving birth or experiencing miscarriage.
We can be a community solution. Tackling homelessness is a more immense, systemic injustice, and we know the most power for effective change lies in the hands of our lawmakers and city councils. However, as a community organization, we hold the power to collect on-the-ground narratives and experiences of individuals, gather research to support our policy demands and advocacy efforts, and redistribute resources now with community partners and allies.
The Vision
FLORECER has developed a new program to support unhoused pregnant people in Arizona communities.
Recognizing that a plethora of non-profits exist to help the unhoused, our work is focused on the unique challenges pregnant unhoused individuals face and the unique care and attention they need for their safety and well-being.
Below are two offerings of the broader scope of work we are doing to make a strong community impact under the Saguaro Relief Program.
Street Distribution Safety Kits
This offering of the program is intended for real-time support within the community, prioritizing addressing real-time exposure to elements and climate, general safety and wellness of our unhoused community members, and their access to reproductive-related items.
Our “safety kits” will be held by staff and eventually volunteers who encounter houseless pregnant people, women, non-binary, and trans folks surviving on the streets.
In addition to the material items our team identifies for the safety kits, we will also have other offerings like plan B, pregnancy tests, and prenatal vitamins with clear communication on how to access and use them.
Direct Pregnancy Support
This portion of the program is intended to prioritize safety, shelter, and reproductive needs through a temporary but more invested financial offering.
Our team regularly engages with unhoused pregnant individuals through our other organization programs (Abortion Fund, Rural Access Project) and in our collaborative community work.
The Saguaro Relief Program follows the needs and desires of the person and the goal is to meet whatever that immediate named need is, up to a financial “pledge” cap.
Legal ADVocacy Services
In July of 2026, FLORECER: Reproductive Justice became certified through the Arizona Supreme Court and approved to provide legal advocacy services as trained and established in coordination with Innovation for Justice under the authorization of the Arizona Code of Judicial Administration, Section 7-211.
With this certification, FLORECER is undergoing legal training to support victims of domestic violence through court filings, such as orders of protection, and is also receiving legal training to support individuals facing eviction court proceedings.
Our vision and priority in learning these legal skills for our team is to embed these free offerings into our services for Arizona communities, and prioritize meeting community members’ needs much sooner than the court process.
Our mission is preventative care, support, and education. Learn more about Certified Community Legal Advocates. FLORECER can be found listed under Approved Community Based Organizations on the Arizona courts website.