Letter from a Foster Parent

Providing safe and loving homes for children is one of the primary objectives of the work of Arizona’s Children Association. We provide adoption and foster care programs all over the state to help find and secure forever homes for the thousands of kids in Arizona’s foster care system. Below is a letter from an AzCA parent:

With the aid of Arizona’s Children Association we have happily adopted four beautiful children (three boys and one girl). When it comes to children we have always had room in our hearts to love one more and to see a reflection of that love thru the eyes of a child - whether it be for a day, a week, a month or forever.

Our hearts have not reached maximum capacity, but, sadly our house has reached its capacity – and we have run out of room. When our children are all grown up and with families of their own we look forward to filling our home with wonderful grandchildren.

We thank you for fulfilling our dream of completing our family. Thank you so much for allowing us this incredible experience, the journey and opportunity of a lifetime - becoming parents.

We encourage you to please share with your family and colleagues the need for forever homes for our youth. We provide the support, training and resources needed. To learn more, visit www.arizonaschildren.org/permanency.htm

Free workshops in Northern Arizona aim to help parents work with their kids to reduce the risk of potential substance abuse

Arizona’s Children Association is proud to offer Guiding Good Choices, a substance abuse prevention program which provides skills training to assist parents in reducing the risks of substance abuse and delinquent behaviors for the children they parent.
Guiding Good Choices is an interactive five-session program, which teaches parents specific strategies to help their children avoid drug use and other adolescent problem behaviors, and develop into healthy adults. In a lively and open atmosphere, parents will learn to set clear family guidelines on drugs, as well as learn and practice skills to strengthen family bonds, help their children develop healthy behaviors, and increase children’s involvement in the family.

The Guiding Good Choices program, from Channing Bete Company, was developed by Dr. J. David Hawkins and Dr. Richard F. Catalano of the University of Washington. Their research has shown that when children are bonded to their parents, school and non-drug-using peers, they are less likely to get involved in drug use or other behavior problems. Workshop activities are based on Hawkins’ and Catalano’s Social Development Strategy, a theory of human behavior that identifies the factors that promote social bonding and positive behavior.

Workshops are provided free of charge in a group or individual in-home setting. Program workbooks are also provided at no charge. The program is being offered by Arizona’s Children Association in Apache, Navajo, Coconino and Yavapai counties, with funding provided by The Arizona Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families Arizona Parents Commission on Drug Education Prevention.

The program has had a positive impact on a number of local area families in Northern Arizona. “Prior to starting the sessions, many parents feel that they are clear in their expectations for the children they are raising, but quickly learn that they are often undecided, unsure or insconsistent about a lot of the issues discussed in our program,” said Carol Reiman, a senior clinician at Arizona’s Children Association who facilitates many of the workshops. “By defining expectations for those in our care and learning more concrete methods of communicating and monitoring behaviors, our parents and caregivers learn to gain greater trust in their relationships and decision-making. We’ve had wonderful responses from program participants.”

Workshop times and locations vary and can be structured around your family’s schedule. For more information, contact Carol Reiman at creiman@arizonaschildren.org or call 928.853.1055.

Gifts of Hope made an impact statewide

Across Arizona, individuals, companies and organizations stepped up to help the children and families we serve by collecting "Gifts of Hope.”

For many, the donated gifts were distributed to the child’s parents so that they could wrap the item themselves and give the gift as a part of their family time over the holidays. Some programs such as foster care and independent living often hold their own holiday parties. In Lake Havasu, their annual Mohave County Holiday Party for HRSS and STAR programs welcomed more than 250 people at the Parks & Recreation Rods and Relics Hall. Every year, community support is critical for this event. This year Lake Havasu City Frontier Communications sponsored the majority of the party expenses. Lowes of LHC came in with child friendly wooden crafts to build bird houses, games, etc. ~ lots of hammering going on! Members of the LHC Rotary Club set u[ a table with more than 200 cookies for the kiddos to decorate, plus there were 3 other craft tables, a bounce house, plenty of food and wonderful desserts, a D.J., and prize drawings. Last but not least, Santa came to visit with each child receiving a candy gift and a picture with Santa.

Stories like this came in from all over the state. In some of the Northern counties, gift donations even tripled from last year, allowing more kids than ever to benefit.
We are truly thank you to groups, large and small, and all the individuals who were involved in all of our holiday efforts. Below is a list of groups who were involved this year. Thank you to the dozens of individuals across the state who also participated. There are too many individuals to name here but please know that your support is very appreciated and you help to make the holidays brighter for our many families. Thank you!

If you are interested in participating in collection drives to collect the many items we need throughout the year, please visit www.arizonaschildren.org/drives.htm. If you are interested in Gifts of Hope 2012, please email Chris at cleblanc@arizonaschildren.org to request an informational letter about this event later in the year.

Northern:
Walgreens Employees (Prescott), Kappa Medical, County Bank, AZ State Savings & Credit Union, BTW Bikers of the Third Wheel, Yavapine Needles, FALA, Flagstaff Professionals, Zale Jewelers, Boy Scout Troop #210, Ross Stores Inc., ReMax Peak Properties, Little Caesars Pizza (Lake Havasu), Mohave P.C. , Frontier Communications, LHC Realtor’s Association, Havasu Regional Medical Center Auxillary, London Bridge Plaza Association, Chili’s Restaurant, Anderson Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Anderson Nissan, Anderson Toyota, Bling, Brooks and Clark, Bubba Jump, Elegante, ESSCO, ART Towing, Hair Cartel, Home Depot, Horizon Bank, IHOP, Jacklyns, Jamaica Elementary Honor Society, Lake Havasu Rotary, Lake Havasu Womens Golf Assoc., LHC Police Department, LHHS - Construction Students, LHHS – FCCLA, London Bridge Squares, Lowes, Mane Event/Lushes Lashes Salon, Men of the Moose, Relics and Rods, St. Michael's Church, The Shops - Management Team and Vendors, Titan's Fitness, Tri-State Pagent, Women of the Moose, Denny's (Kingman), Home Depot, Hot Locks Salon, Kingman Firefighters Union, Kingman Police Department, KPD 9111 Emergency Communications Center, MCC - Kingman Campus, Mission Bank, Route 66 Riders of Kingman, Bullhead city communities, Home Depot Associates, Horizon Bank - Fort Mohave, Lowes Associates, MCC - BHC - Administration, Faculty and Staff, MCC - Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, State Farm - Mavis Fulco's Office

Central:
Kimley Horn, Whole Foods (Raintree), Moments Salon, Perfect Power Solar, Crossfit Scottsdale, Norterra Salon & Spa, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Arizona Desert Goats Car Club, AZ Supreme Court, Celebrity Skin, Lillian Lottie Couture, Phoenix Fire Department, The University of Arizona Health Network - Health Plans, Phoenix School of Law- Hispanic Law Students Association, First Solar, Inc., Wesley United Methodist Church Young Adult Ministries, Stanley Consultants Inc, Manheim Phoenix, Sage, Key Club, Apache Junction Public Library, San Francisco-Federal Reserve Bank, Toolbox.com, Gap (Superstition Springs Center), Student Academy of Audiology-ATSU Chapter, A1A Vista Tech Inc.

Southern:
Carondolet Foothills Surgery Center, US Customs Office at DM, Mister Car Wash, Script Save, Pima County Procurement Office, Arizona Health Sciences Library, UA Health Network, UA Admin Services for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Rain Bird, First Solar

Thank you to those groups & organizations who were not included in the above lists. We try our best to thank all of our generous groups statewide and we apologize if you were not mentioned.

Reay’s Ranch Investors Surpasses their Goal to Help AzCA Kids and Families

Reay’s Ranch Investors, Super Stop, Minit Markets and Gordon’s IGA announced this week that their 2011 campaign to raise funds for Arizona’s Children Association has set a new record. Their “To Infinity and Beyond” Campaign had a 2011 goal of $160,000 to support Arizona’s Children Association programs and services in the areas served by Reay’s Ranch Investors stores. After the last coin was counted from their “Change for Children” drive in December, Reay’s had raised a record $179,438 in 2011! “Our amazing customers, vendors and employees continue to show that even during uncertain economic times, that they are excited to support Arizona’s Children Association’s mission to ‘Protect Children and Preserve Families Across Arizona,’” said Richard Couch of Reay’s Ranch Investors. Elements of the 2011 fundraising campaign included a placard drive in stores, a golf tournament, an employee giving campaign, and two Change for Children drives. Reay’s fundraising efforts since 2006 have raised more than $656,000 for AzCA. “We continue to be blown away by the generosity of Reay’s Ranch customers, vendors and employees. They truly grasp the value of these programs to their communities and we appreciate everything they have done to support our work,” said Marc Kellenberger, Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer of Arizona’s Children Association. In photo above: Left to right, Michael Coughlin, president of Arizona’s Children Association, Richard Couch, chief operations officer and general manager of Reay’s Ranch, and Fred Chaffee, former President of Arizona’s Children Association.

A Once in a Lifetime Trip for Kinship Families

It's not easy being a kinship caregiver, yet in Arizona there are more than 198,000 children living in households headed by grandparents or other relatives (US 2010 Census). Instead of resting or retiring, these grandparents and relative caregivers took on the responsibility of caring for some of Arizona’s most vulnerable children. Many of these families find that relearning how to parent and adjusting to a new lifestyle can be emotionally, physically, and financially challenging. Kinship, Adoption, Resource and Education (KARE) Centers provide support to kinship caregivers all over the state. That support has taken on many different forms in different areas of the state, but the KARE group in Phoenix has had one goal above all others: a grown up dream for their children…to go to Disneyland! This past Thanksgiving, that trip became a reality. The group of 17 families, made up of 72 children and adults, had been planning and fundraising for four years to raise the money to take the once in a lifetime trip. Initially, they had thought this vision was beyond their grasp as many of these families have never been to Disneyland or never have had the opportunity to even visit California. However, they worked as team, created a fund and found creative ways to add to that fund. They've sold tamales and fry bread, washed cars, baked cakes and cooked lunches. A few weeks ago, after four years of hard work, they finally reached the $20,000 they needed to cover the cost of the bus trip, two nights in a hotel and their Disneyland admission. “It was amazing to see how excited not just the kids were to visit Disneyland, but the grandparents too,” said Kinship Coordinator Joanna Marroquin who escorted the large group on the trip. “This whole trip has such a special meaning to them because it has been four years in the making. I am so amazed by their commitment and they should be truly proud of themselves.” To learn more about KARE programs statewide, visit www.arizonaschildren.org and click on “Permanency Programs.”

AzCA announces the formation of The Fred Chaffee Center for Excellence in Prevention Services

After 20 years of service to the children and families of Arizona, Fred J. Chaffee will step down from his position as President and CEO of Arizona’s Children Association in January of 2012. Members of the Board of Directors of Arizona's Children Association (AzCA) announced this week that they are establishing permanent recognition of Chaffee’s dedication and leadership to the agency by incorporating his name into some of the many programs that he helped build and sustain.

The Fred J. Chaffee Center for Excellence in Prevention Services promotes the development of healthy children, strong families, and safe communities. A component of the Arizona’s Children Association, the Center unites programs and initiatives within AzCA and its family of agencies that enhance the well being of Arizona’s diverse population. The Center builds on the legacy of former Executive Director Fred Chaffee and honors his leadership in transforming AzCA to an agency that works to prevent problems as well as to treat them.

“I am proud of the significant increase in prevention services provided by this agency during my time here,” said Fred Chaffee. “Prevention services enable our staff to work with families to address problems at their base, before they become long-term and more expensive to address. We realized early on that we needed to go upstream to prevent problems, rather than waiting downstream for the problems to come to us and our families.”

In 1992, Fred Chaffee joined Arizona’s Children Association (named Arizona Children’s Home Association at the time) as Executive Director, bringing with him many years of experience in the field of child welfare and behavioral health management. The last 20 years have brought much growth and prosperity to this agency. It was during his tenure that Arizona’s Children Association (AzCA) grew from a $5 million agency serving 5,000 children and families annually into a $40 million agency serving 46,000 children and families each year. Chaffee’s role was critical in expanding services statewide and in the mergers of AzCA with each one of its now seven members of its family of agencies.

The prevention services programs of Arizona’s Children Association are diverse and span statewide. Particular AzCA facilities including The Parent Connection, Golden Gate Community Center and New Directions Institute for Infant Brain Development and limited additional AzCA locations will receive signage designating their role as providers of prevention services.

“The success of this organization and the fact that we have reached our centennial this year is due in large part to Fred Chaffee’s leadership and innovation through both good times and bad,” said Tom Knox, past chair of the board of directors. “We have truly been blessed by having such a committed and consistent leader throughout these last two decades.”

Shirts with a Message

One of the highlights of summer at Golden Gate Community Center, is the annual t-shirt design competition. For four years now, the challenge is on as kids of all ages put in their best effort to create a design to be chosen to represent the Center. The kids draw out their ideas on a t-shirt template and staff serves as competition judges. The various designs each year show just how connected these youth are to the Center.

The kids will tell you that the shirts they wear are a point of pride for them because it identifies them with the Center and they are proud to claim that the artist is their friend.

This year’s winner is 8th grader Angelica Herrera, shown here with her winning design which reads "Golden Gate Community Center, Another Word 4 Family." She has been coming to the Center for two years now with her sister and she participated in the summer activities daily.

The best part is that the staff is able to cover the shirt costs even with their limited summer budget. Grants for their summer budget have continued to decrease each year, but staff ensure that a portion is reserved for the production of the shirts so that everyone is included in the feeling of unity that these shirts provide.

To learn more about the programs and services offered by Golden Gate Community Center, visit www.goldengatecenter.org or call 620.233.0017.