Arizonans for Children

Arizonans for Children is committed to helping kids in foster care achieve their fullest potential.  We have the date set for the 2019 Annual Back 2 School Bash/Resource Fair - Saturday July 20, 2019 We will be collecting school supplies, backpacks and coordinating a plethora of resources for these kids, kids that far to soon will be on their own.  Arizonans for Children  doesn't just give school supplies but provides vital resources and information.  Would you hold a donation drive?  Do you hire entry level positions?  Is there a life skill you can share with the teens?   2018 was a BIG success thanks to our community!  Here are some pictures: If you can hold a donation drive to collect school supplies, if you can be a presenter, if you want to sponsor or provide food for the event, if you want to volunteer at the event - please contact Laura at az4children.laura@gmail.com...

The next Arizonans for Children STEM Pi-oneer class is getting ready to start and as I prepare and plan the importance and value of this class are in the forefront of my thoughts. Kids in the foster care system do not have access to technology.  How are they doing their homework?  Their life circumstances set them apart from other kids, lack of technology only makes it harder for them. In the Arizonans for Children Pi-oneer program the kids assemble a Raspberry Pi micro computer, download the operating system, explore the vast functionality of the Pi, learn about the importance of internet safety and security as well as learn basic coding and programming.  At the end of the final class the kids that have attended all classes take the entire computer system with them. Every aspect of this class is geared to the population Arizonans for Children serves, kids in the foster care system. The micro computer itself is very inexpensive and not a lot of people understa...

There are many children in foster care on the autism spectrum.  This article written by Jenny Wise offers great insight and tools for decorating an autism-friendly bedroom.  The trauma kids in foster care experience; this information would be beneficial to every child in foster care. How to Design an Autism-Friendly Bedroom for Your Child When you are setting up a child’s bedroom, you are likely thinking about comfort and safety. While both are very important for any little one, If your child is on the autism spectrum, you may have a few more elements to consider. Children on the spectrum can be sensitive to sensory stimuli, like color, sound and even light, so make sure they feel relaxed and secure in their bedroom by following these setup steps.              Keep Dust, Pollutants and Smoke Out So many children are affected by allergies and asthma, especially in the Southwest. Dry conditions and...

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 Faceboo...

Mentors Eric and Suzy's updates are a highlight of my week! Week #3 with our Mentee! We started out by fueling up at Snooze Eatery in Tempe. Our little buddy loves Chocolate Chip Pancakes! https://snoozeeatery.com/locations/tempe/ Then we heading over to Brunswick for some Bowling, our buddy wowed us by throwing a strike the first try! We had a lot of fun, plan to go back so I can practice more... https://www.bowlbrunswick.com/loc…/brunswick-zone-mesa-lanes Then we headed to the Hobby Depot. We decided our buddy needed to work on some hands on building skills, so a skill level 2 model that he had to glue & paint would be ideal and this one doesn't have too many parts - perfect! He picked out a 72 Hurst Olds, which is exactly what all the cool guys would pick. HD is a neat, privately owned shop, the owners were great.  https://www.thehobbydepot.com/ We had to stop at Joe's Italian Ice to plan our upcoming outings, and have a Joe Latti! Good stuff. http:...

Commitment, Caring, Compassion and Consistency The Arizonans for Children Director of Supervised Visits Andrea Chavez became a Mentor 2 years ago.  For 2 years she has been the only constant in her mentees life.  Visits are harder to coordinate now that the child has changed placements again but Andrea's commitment hasn't ever wavered.   In Andrea's words: " One of my interns asked me this past week for a quote of what drew me to become a Mentor to a kiddo in foster care for his class presentation. "I had to put aside my fear of the 1 year commitment required of the Tutor/Mentor Program and know that my impact would be greater." I met my Mentee 2 years ago today, her birthday. Today, she turned 14 years old. On my way to drop her off at her foster home today, she told me she'll probably "age out" living at the foster home. Happy birthday little lady, my hope is you'll be a stronger person because of this exp...

  On a typical Saturday at Arizonans for Children our community comes together to volunteer to Help Families Heal. On 9/15/2018 we had volunteers at our Phoenix Visitation Center set up a variety of board games and encourage the families on site to play and engage. "I t's "Family Game Day" at Arizonans for Children! From Connect Four to Chutes & Ladders to Candy Land...good old fashion fun on a hot, hot day! It started with an idea from  Mikaela  and  Tracey  executed it! Our interns are finding ways to make a difference. Parents and children are conversing, laughing, and creating new memories. Have a beautiful weekend!" posted on Facebook by our Director of Supervised Visits Andrea Chavez There were 2 volunteer projects happening today at the Arizonans for Children MEC (Mesa Education Center). The Arizonans for Children STEM Pi-oneer program utilizes Raspberry Pi technology to give kids in foster care access to technology....

Arizonans for Children and Resilient Me invite you to The Arizonans for Children Phoenix Visitation Center to learn more about how Resilient Me can help prepare kids in care for independent living and overcoming trauma. Arizonans for Children Mentor Coordinators will be on site to talk about the benefits of having a Mentor for a child in care and how to get the kids you serve matched with one. Open to all group home staff: When:      Thursday September 27, 2018                  6:00pm Where:     Arizonans for Children Phoenix Visitation Center                 1112 W. Camelback Rd, Phoenix AZ 85013 RSVP:       az4children.laura@gmail.com Dinner and desert will be provided. https://www.resilientme.org/ home.html http://www. arizonansforchildren.org/page/ mentor