Bernadette Martin and Sean Hammond display a poster for the Children's Assistance and Resource Event (CARE Fair) that will be held July 18-19 at Sunnyside High School.

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With the high cost of gas and the lull in the economy, Bernadette Martin believes that "one-stop shopping" has taken on new significance for many families.

Martin is on a mission to perpetuate a long-standing Tucson summer tradition that provides the ultimate health-and-human-services shopping spree for families in need: the Children's Assistance and Resource Event, also known as the CARE Fair.

Martin said the fair will offer the same services it has provided for two decades: access to free health care, car seats and other safety equipment, social services, school supplies, and support services. This year, though, the venue has changed to Sunnyside High School, 1725 E. Bilby Road.

"We have vision and dental screenings, physicals and immunizations and access to so many services and so much information that is helpful to people," said Martin. "It is really needed by many families in this area since this is one of the economically challenged areas of the city."

Martin is a prevention program assistant with the Sunnyside Unified School District and a member of the CARE Fair steering committee. She stepped up to facilitate CARE Fair's move to Sunnyside from its previous location at Pueblo Magnet High School, 3500 S. 12th Ave., where it had been held since it served about 3,300 people at its inception in 1989.

The fair draws people from throughout Pima County, said CARE Fair co-chairman Sean Hammond, and the committee has been working to spread awareness about the change of venue since many families depend on the event to prepare for the upcoming school year.

"We always serve between 6,000 and 7,000 kids; about 10,000 people usually come, and if we got more this year, it certainly would not be a surprise. People are really hurting right now, and we provide so many services at the CARE Fair that can help families immediately. That is the point: to help people on the spot," said Hammond, a project coordinator with the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

A collaborative effort of nearly 50 government, private and non-profit agencies, the CARE Fair was originally designed to provide free, direct services with no appointment necessary prior to the beginning of the school year.

Over the years, it has been streamlined to provide relief for families in need, many of which are dealing with issues such as transportation difficulties, language barriers and confusion in navigating multiple agencies and unfamiliar programs.

Health services include vision and dental screenings, pregnancy tests, immunizations, sports physicals, as well as enrollment for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and KidsCare.

The Safe Kids Tucson corner distributes car seats, bicycle helmets, gun locks and other items, and school supplies are available courtesy of World Care.

Financial services include employment, rent and utility assistance; and food assistance is available through the Community Food Bank and other programs. Southern Arizona Legal Aid will be participating this year to provide advice on housing, human rights and legal issues. Free child care also is provided.

The services — and basics such as school supplies or school physicals that enable children to participate in sports and other activities — can be key to preparing children for school, Martin said. She believes those opportunities also spur student excitement and involvement to increase their chances for success.

"CARE Fair is right in line with everything that we do in the Prevention and Safety Office. I have been in this department for 17 years, and kids have lots of issues they are dealing with — economic issues and peer-pressure issues — and it is really important for them to feel healthy and safe at school in order to be ready to learn."

While school preparation remains a focus, Hammond said the injury-prevention component has blossomed, imparting information about injury prevention in the home to low-income families during the summer, when injury rates typically increase.

Overall, Hammond and Martin view the CARE Fair collaboration as an ideal solution to a community problem.

"The entire community comes together to help those in need, and when you help them, you lower the crime rates and improve community health, and that makes the community a better place," Hammond said.