Eagle Projects with Arizonans for Children

The impact scouts have on the nonprofit world is substantial and today Arizonans for Children saw the impact of a true leadership project!

In early summer of 2018 during a STEM Pi-oneer class I became aware of two 15 year old boys that could not write their names.  Neither have an IEP or 504plan or identified disability.  Let's think about that for a moment....in less than 3 years these boys will age out of the foster care system and be on their own.  How will they ever survive?  Will they both become another statistic and end up in prison?

About the same time as this I saw a Facebook post about an auction selling Community Little Libraries that has been painted by local artists.  I decided to bid on two of them, one for each of our visitation centers.  Unfortunately for me but fortunate for the beneficiary of the auction I was quickly outbid on both.

Arizonans for Children long time volunteer and former wood shop teacher Mike Sublette saw my Facebook posts about wanting Community Little Libraries for each center, and having spoken to Mike about these two boy he had the brilliant idea to have these kids, kids in the foster care system decorate and fill their very own library bookshelves.

In July we held out first Little Library Literacy Program at the Arizonans for Children MEC (Mesa Education Center) where the kids in attendance each painted and personalized their own library bookshelf then proceeded to fill their shelf with as many books as they wanted.
Knowing some of the children could not read I encouraged kids to take books from all age groups, to find a picture book that they loved as a small child.  The class was incredible but we identified a small hiccup in that it took too long for the paint to dry.

Enter Scout Cayden.  Cayden picked up all the "library bookshelves" which are drawers that have been donated by a local furniture company - Trendwood. Cayden secured paint and painting supply donations, a slew of volunteers and painted all 111 bookshelves.  Now the kids can just come in, pick a  shelf that is painted a color they love and personalize the shelf then stock it with books of their choice.

Thank you Cayden for taking on this project and helping 111 kids in foster care have access to their own libraries!  What an impact you have made on this population.

Arizonans for Children has been very lucky to get donations of books from MCSO for this program!
And even better - MCSO has donated a Community Little Library for the Arizonans for Children Phoenix Visitation Center!  Stay tuned for the painting and planting of our new Little Library.

Arizonans for Children has a variety of Eagle Project available.
Contact Laura at az4children.laura@gmail.com for project options.

If you are wondering the 2 boys I mentioned that cannot write their own names....They have come through our Little Library Literacy Program and each have their very own library full of book for all reading levels.