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July 2021 Issue 40

Summertime Fun!

The summer heat is in full force, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun! Here are some resources for activities and events, both virtually and in person. Pricing varies, but scholarships/financial assistance may be available through the programs. Financial assistance may also be available through Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation (see the award guidelines for more information). This is not an exhaustive list, so check your local parks and recreation, Chamber of Commerce, and public library websites for more!

Statewide/Virtual

Apache County

Cochise County

Coconino County

Gila County

Graham County

Greenlee County

La Paz County

Maricopa County

Mohave County

Navajo County

Pima County

Pinal County

Santa Cruz County

Yavapai County

Yuma County

DCS Travel Guidelines

Planning to try to beat the heat and get out of town? Review the Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standards to ensure everything is in order for a safe, stress-free trip!

Papa John's Partnership

Discover Foster Parenting

Taking the leap to begin fostering is a huge step, and sometimes it's difficult to know where to begin. The Arizona Department of Child Safety website has resources and information to help answer some questions and get you started, but there are always other avenues and perspectives to explore. Foster Club, the National Network for Youth in Foster Care, has created their own resource to share with families who are interested in learning more about foster care. Current foster families may enjoy the Foster Club or may want to share the resource with other families that are interested in fostering or supporting foster youth or families.

Aviva Children's Services Teen Evolution

Children's Museum Tucson Summer Events

Southwest Human Development Head Start

Southwest Human Development's Head Start and Early Head Start programs are recruiting now for the new school year! They service 5 school districts in Central Phoenix (Balsz, Creighton, Osborn, and Madison), and Paradise Valley.

Arizona Association of Foster & Adoptive Parents

Foster, Kinship, and Adoptive families who live in Arizona and parent children from a state child welfare system are invited to join AZAFAP! We are a nonprofit organization, by families, for families, that provides connections and supports in Arizona! The association includes ALL of the children in the family for our programs that include Family Connections, Family Support Services, Children’s Basic Needs, and Community Awareness. Free basic membership provides our newsletter full of information and resources. Premier membership is a small annual fee that pays for itself multiple times over after you have participated in our shoe, jacket, or bike and toy event! Our family camps were so much fun, and we look forward to our Foster Awareness Month Celebration, our Fore Family Fun at Top Golf event and Staycations this summer! The popular Shoe Event is coming up in early August!

Please join on our website at www.azafap.org under Membership. We have events in Tucson and Phoenix, and we are looking to expand up north!

Arizona Helping Hands

Arizona Helping Hands is the largest provider of essential items for children in foster care in Arizona. Our programs provide a safe place to sleep, clothing, hygiene items, birthday packages, backpacks filled with school supplies, licensing safety items, foster footlockers, and more.

Visit us online at azhelpinghands.org to learn more and make an appointment today!

480.889.0604

Raise the Future Trainings

Raise the Future, previously known as the Adoption Exchange now offers a variety of online training programs. Please check them out at the link below.

Training With Child Crisis AZ

STEP Training- TUCSON

Christian Family Care Training

AZ.127 Foster Family Support & Connections

AZ.127 will be offering support via Facebook & Instagram mini-sessions of techniques and tools from the Trust-Based Relational Intervention program. Additionally, they will be matching mentor foster families with foster families in need of support.

Jose's Closet

Sunny's Closet

Caring Connections for Special Needs

Royal Family Kids Camp

Arizona Early Intervention Program

Tucson Resource

Spreading Threads is a grassroots, nonprofit community clothing bank that provides free clothes to foster youth in southern Arizona. The organization was founded by two foster moms in Tucson who have fostered and adopted several children in Arizona. Your donations go directly to local children in need. The second Saturday of each month foster, adoptive, and kinship families can visit the clothing bank. A Notice to Provider will be needed. The clothing bank events are held at 1870 W. Prince, Suite 54 in Tucson.

Respite Resource

A Mighty Change of Heart

A Mighty Change of Heart provides FREE duffle bags to foster children with new, age-appropriate items inside: 2 outfits, shoes & socks, underwear, book, diapers/wipes, hygiene items, and more. These bags have the children’s names embroidered on them, and are something that they can call their very own. They have delivered over 3,500 bags across the state.

Please check out their website for more information: www.amchaz.com. If your family, business, church group or school would be interested in holding a donation drive, please contact A Mighty Change of Heart. Items are always needed.

Warmline Supports Kinship and Foster Families

The Foster Parent Warmline is available for kinship families and licensed foster parents. While not an emergency number, Warmline staff can assist with information, authorizations for services, timely communication, and support. It is not intended to discourage or replace direct and regular communication between the DCS Specialist and the out-of-home caregiver. You can reach the Warmline by calling 1-877-KIDSNEEDU (1-877-543-7633) and selecting Option 3. Warmline staff are available during business hours. Callers also have the option of leaving a voice message.

Children's Heart Gallery

More than 70 percent of the children in need of forever families are adopted by their relatives or foster parents. For the remainder, special recruitment efforts like the Heart Gallery are used to connect them with a forever family.

The children featured in the Heart Gallery represent all ethnic groups and range from toddlers to teenagers. Some have special behavioral or medical needs, some are without siblings, and others are in groups of siblings.

Breezy

Angel B., known by his friends as Breezy, is an outgoing and funny teenager. He has a contagious smile that lights up a room. Breezy describes himself as kind, caring, handsome and loving. He loves to cook and enjoys a large variety of foods. He enjoys writing his own songs and hopes his talent and creativity will turn into a career one day. Breezy loves all animals and aspires to become a veterinarian.

When asked why he wants to be adopted, Breezy said “I want to be adopted because I want to be loved and cared for, and to have a family and a home to call my own.” Breezy would thrive in a two-parent home with lots of time to spend with him. He would do best with an older sibling or as the only child in the home. Breezy is Christian and wants a family that would go to church with him and will be accepting and understanding of his identity no matter what.

Breezy was born in 2004.

Delicia

Delicia is a bold, spirited and hardworking young lady. In her free time, Delicia likes to chill and watch Breaking Bad. She also enjoys watching TikTok videos. Delicia also enjoys doing and wearing makeup, shopping and swimming in her spare time. One day she would like to travel to Hawaii. Delicia likes to be more laid back and enjoys spending quality time with friends watching movies or maybe going to a lake.

Delicia would do best in a one- or two-parent home that will teach her skills needed for adulthood. She would thrive in a home with either younger or older children. An ideal family for Deicia would have experience in guiding and supporting teens through creating healthy goals towards independent living.

Delicia was born in 2004.

Joseph, Joe, & Josiah

Joseph is well-spoken, loving and sweet. He enjoys watching TV shows and playing with Pokémon cards! Joseph is active and outgoing, he would play whiffle ball all day. Joseph is very intelligent and loves school. Joseph would like a family that spends time together completing puzzles.

Joe loves food! He is happy and always smiling. Joe has the best time playing with his brothers! Joe does well in school and enjoys the peer interactions. He is making great strides and his vocabulary is slowly improving.

Josiah loves to give hugs. He has a charismatic personality. Josiah is very helpful, independent and a quick learner. Josiah is very active and spends a lot of time outdoors riding his bike, playing on the playground, and riding his scooter. Josiah likes to relax while watching TV shows and movies. Josiah does very well academically.

Joseph and Joe were born in 2012 and Josiah was born in 2014. The boys long for a loving and stable home where they can be together.

AZ Families Thrive is published monthly by the Arizona Department of Child Safety to inform foster, kinship and adoptive families across the state. Rhiannon Schaudt-Hobkirk created this edition. Please feel free to email with questions, comments, or content you may be interested in seeing in future editions. Sign up to receive email updates when new issues are posted.

Interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent? Call us: 1-877-KIDS-NEEDU (1-877-543-7633) or email us: FosterAdoption@azdcs.gov. Visit us online: www.azkidsneedu.gov.

To report child abuse or neglect: 1-888-SOS-CHILD

Created By
Rhiannon Schaudt-Hobkirk
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