Arizonans for Children

Another day in the office  🐰 🐰 We are "hopping" to have the Arizonans for Children STEM Pi-onner class available for more kids in foster care. Watch until the end.....we have some really good sports at Arizonans for Children! PS- the table shows the generosity of our community! Books from  Pygmy Giraffe Publishing  and  Susan R. Stoltz , My Thirty-one basket from  Charlotte and yummy goodies from  Cafe Valley Bakery  and  Raspberry Pi  from  PEM Cares . At Arizonans for Children we want to make sure the families on site for visits create happy, healing memories and celebrate every single day! # HelpingFamiliesHeal   # STEM   # Pioneers   # FosterCare   # Easter   We have the Raspberry Pi and VGA adapter cables that are needed for our Pi-oneer class on the Arizonans for Children Amazon Wish List if you would like to help: Arizonans for Children Amazon Wish List

What a weekend at Arizonans for Children!  Technology, technology and more technology! We were very fortunate to be part of AZ Give Camp's Hack-a-Thon where teams of developers volunteer their time and expertise to engineer solutions for non-profits.  The hack-a-thon started Friday afternoon at 3:00pm and went all the way until Sunday at 4:00pm! Thanks to my new best friend Chris Huie, Arizonans for Children participated in this fantastic opportunity.  Our team Tomas, Mandy and Cindy listened to our agency needs, tossed ideas around and came up with the perfect solution.  This team developed an electronic check-in system that will offer faster check in and out times that will translate into more quality time spent on a visit for the families using the centers. This new system also tracks the data creating seamless reports while respecting and protecting the confidentiality of our clients.  All of this was done with the knowledge that cost  is a...

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...

When I first started working with children in foster care I was shocked to realize that many kids have zero access to technology in their group homes or foster placements. How are they doing homework without access to technology? When the need becomes apparent, Arizonans for Children finds a way to meet the need. We started the STEM Pi-oneer class that upon completion of a series of classes the child takes the entire computer system with them. A fully functioning micro com puter called a Raspberry Pi, a monitor, mouse and key board to every single child that completes the class series! In the class the kids build/assemble their Pi, learn basic programming languages, explore the vast functionality of the computer all while having workshops and presentations on things like neuroscience, financial literacy and internet safety and security. Arizonans for Children goal - every school age child in the foster care system have their own computer system. There are several ways y...

Sometimes I just can't believe all the good that happens at Arizonans for Children.  Every day the volunteers, parents, parent aids, kids, staff and donors just simply amaze me and this week has been no exception! Our Saturday STEM Pi-oneer class started with our volunteer Chrysta giving an engaging presentation on "Healthy Brains", then Christian taught the kids how to write a program to build block walls in the Raspberry Pi version of the game Minecraft.  We finished the day off with Paul with PEM talking to the kids about their future and the life they see for themselves.  Honestly I learned something for each of our presenters!  Paul told the kids about an acronym - IDEAL.  Want to know what it stands for?  email az4children.laura@gmail.com   On Saturday 10/20 at the Arizonans for Children Mesa Visitation Center Volunteer Alec and partners held a Fall Festival for the families on site.  The pictures look like it was a lot...

  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....