Twenty nonprofit organizations in Southern Arizona are getting an important economic shot in the arm thanks to local residents and companies.

The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona works with charitably-minded individuals and organizations, and it recently announced that $442,000 would be distributed among the 20 agencies in our region.

The money will be used in areas like assisting victims of abuse and domestic violence as well as homeless individuals and families. Given federal, state and local funding cutbacks for many groups, recipients say the money is timely and vital. Tony Paniagua speaks to two of the nonprofits receiving funds. The Primavera Foundation helps the homeless and the poor and Chicanos Por La Causa has been providing services for Mexican-American and other residents for 40 years in Tucson.