Valley Hero Revives Recovery Program for Moms After Trump-Era Funding Cuts

In a dramatic turn of events, a veteran’s crowdfunding effort has sparked renewed hope for a program aiding women in recovery from substance abuse after federal funding was unexpectedly cut.

PHOENIX — Paul Aguirre found himself compelled to act. Upon learning that a federal program, vital to women recovering from addiction, lost its funding, he decided to make a difference.

“It just really touched my heart,” Aguirre remarked. His concern intensified as he thought of a niece currently incarcerated, struggling with similar challenges.

Aguirre initiated a GoFundMe campaign aimed at supporting the Terros Health program, which assisted women by covering their rent while they reclaimed their lives with their children. However, this crucial funding was withdrawn last week by the Trump administration.

“It was kind of an amazing thing to wake up to this morning,” said Karen Tepper, CEO of Terros Health, upon discovering Aguirre’s crowdfunding initiative. The timing was critical, as rent was due for the five women in the program.

“We’re going to make it work,” Tepper affirmed. Finding a way to navigate these financial challenges became imperative.

The recent cuts encapsulate a broader trend. The Trump administration pulled back $190 million in public health funding from Arizona, part of a national reduction exceeding $11 billion across various grants. The stated focus now centers on combating the “chronic disease epidemic.”

These funding reductions threaten crucial public health services, including testing and immunizations, potentially leading to layoffs among health providers. Although Terros Health’s grant was modest at $60,000, its significance in the lives of these women cannot be understated.

“It’s very small dollars in the grand scheme of things but huge dollars in the lives of these women,” Tepper explained. “It gives them the ability to stand up and step forward.” With Aguirre’s support, she expressed hope that they could sustain housing for the participants for up to six months.

Moreover, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has taken a stand, joining a multistate lawsuit to contest the federal clawback. “That is an enormous amount of money,” she stated, highlighting the budgetary impact on rural communities.

This lawsuit marks a continuation of Mayes’s advocacy, as it is her eighth legal challenge against Trump administration policies. She is also preparing to confront the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over its recent policies that she believes compromise public health protections.

As the situation unfolds, both Aguirre’s crowdfunding efforts and Mayes’s legal actions highlight the community’s resilience in the face of federal funding cuts that threaten essential services.