Weaving care into the fabric of our communities
Charitable support helps Banner Health meet families where they are—with compassion, dignity, and essential services
12/1/2025
Left to right: Steven Brown, MD, Allie Knox, staff, and residents stock the Banner Family Food Pantry.
In communities across Arizona, Banner Health and the Banner Health Foundation stand steady as partners during life's most challenging moments. When financial challenges make health care feel out of reach, our programs step in—ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the medical care, nutrition and support they need to thrive.
In 2024, Banner Health provided $993 million worth of community benefit, including $203 million in free health services and financial assistance for individuals in need. These numbers represent more than statistics—they represent lives changed, families supported, and communities strengthened through the generosity of donors like you.
Read on to learn about Banner Olive Branch Senior Center, the Banner Family Medicine Food Pantry, and the Banner Children’s Community Clinics—unique programs that care for the health and well-being of some of our most vulnerable neighbors.
A Lifeline for Seniors: Banner Olive Branch Senior Center
In Sun City and surrounding areas, too many older adults face two silent crises: hunger and loneliness. Imagine being 80 years old, living alone on less than $10,000 a year, and having to choose between buying medication or food. Now imagine facing these challenges without anyone to talk to, day after day.
This is where Banner Olive Branch Senior Center becomes a beacon of hope.
From community block parties that draw nearly 1,000 attendees to specialized classes and even a 1970s-themed senior "prom" held this spring, Banner Olive Branch offers a welcoming space where older adults can gather, participate in activities, and form meaningful connections that combat isolation.
But the center's impact goes far beyond social engagement. Core to its daily service offerings are five food programs that address the nutritional insecurity faced by many homebound, low-income, and disabled seniors. Annually, these programs serve more than 83,000 nutritious meals and distribute an additional 1 million lbs. of food through the Banner Olive Branch Food Pantry.
"In 2023, we would see approximately 100 people a day, then that number quickly moved to 300, which has been the norm," said Jennifer Lawless, Banner Olive Branch Senior Center director. "During the last two weeks of October, we experienced a first—more than 500 people per day came through to pick up food."
Rather than limiting access during this surge in demand, the center is purchasing additional food from St. Mary's Food Bank to ensure every senior who walks through the doors receives the support they need. "Everything for patrons will remain the same," Lawless emphasized. "We are purchasing additional food, which will give people 20 items to choose from in terms of shelf-stable food."
Meeting Patients Where They Are: Banner Family Food Pantry
The connection between health and access to nutritious food is undeniable. Recognizing this, the Banner Family Medicine Food Pantry at Banner – University Medical Center Phoenix opened its doors in April 2023, offering free fruits, vegetables, and healthy non-perishable food items to anyone in need—no applications, qualifications, or restrictions required.
"Some health systems and primary care offices provide food directly to food-insecure patients," explains Steven Brown, MD, program director of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix's Family Medicine Residency Clinic, who coordinates the pantry efforts. "Our Family Medicine Residency Clinic saw this need in our patients and started a food pantry to directly address this social determinant of health." Since opening, the pantry has served nearly 3,000 households, with each household receiving fresh produce, most of it grown locally, and healthy non-perishables.
The impact is profound. One patient shared, "I just recently lost my job and I was under pressure—that's why I'm here. I'm glad I had a doctor's appointment today and found out about this."
Dr. Brown notes that patients consistently share how the food pantry helps them, saying they feel supported by the ease of access to healthy food that aligns with messages received from their physicians. Funded by the Banner Health Foundation's Highest & Best Use Award, the pantry represents the direct impact of donor generosity.
"We could not do this without the support of donors to the Banner Health Foundation," Dr. Brown explains. "It's incredible for this money to go directly to people most in need. We are so grateful to the Foundation. We are also training a generation of doctors to directly address social determinants of health, which account for 80% of health outcomes."
Caring for Our Youngest: Banner Children's Community Clinics and Healthmobile
Keeping kids healthy can be challenging when insurance is not available. Through Banner Children's Community Clinics and the Banner Children's Healthmobile, we offer free pediatric health care to uninsured and underinsured children—ensuring that every child has access to the care they need to stay healthy, stay in school, and thrive.
More than 3,000 uninsured children receive care at the two Banner Children's Community Clinics, with an additional 500 children seen aboard the Healthmobile. The clinics offer primary care, behavioral health screenings, specialty care referrals, sports physicals, and injury prevention education for families with young children.
Most patients come from families with low incomes, lack health insurance, have limited access to transportation, and many prefer to communicate in Spanish. As a result, the clinics often see children who have had little to no previous primary care—making these services not just helpful, but truly life-changing.
Your Impact: Weaving Hope into Our Communities
These programs—Banner Olive Branch Senior Center, the Banner Family Food Pantry, and Banner Children's Community Clinics and Healthmobile—represent Banner Health’s commitment to taking care of our communities. They demonstrate that health care is about more than treating illness; it's about addressing the fundamental needs that allow individuals and families to live healthy, dignified lives. When economic hardships make health care seem out of reach, your support ensures that Banner Health can meet people where they are—with compassion, essential services and the message that no one should have to choose between food and medicine or go without care because of their circumstances.
Thank you for making these programs possible. Together, we are building healthier, stronger communities—one meal, one medical visit, one life at a time.