NOVEMBER USHERS IN BIG CHANGES FOR LOCAL CHARITY!
November begins with BIG CHANGES for a rapidly growing local charity. ARIZONA HELPING HANDS will move into the Diane & Bruce Halle Foster Family Resource Center on November 1st. This 18,000 square foot facility located at 3110 E. Thunderbird Road in Phoenix, AZ will become the new home for a 20-year-old homegrown charity.
In 1998, from their home in North Phoenix, Paul and Kathy Donaldson decided to fill a promise made to Kathy’s sister, Patty Neroni. Shortly before Patty’s death from cancer at age 33, the Donaldsons made a pledge to “Do One Good Deed a Day” in Patty’s memory. The Foster Alliance (TFA) was formed to fulfill that promise, and it has accomplished its mission in a BIG way!
TFA is the largest provider of basic needs to Arizona’s foster care population. 16,000 children are currently in foster care throughout the State. These children are placed into care with family members or with licensed foster homes frequently not prepared for one, or oftentimes multiple children. Where do they go for immediate help? – Most times the answer is The Foster Alliance.
The organization will provide 3,000+ kids with a bed or a crib to sleep in. Dan Shufelt, President & CEO, tells us that “the most basic need these children have is for a safe place to sleep. A bed to retreat to, a sanctuary in the midst of all the disruption in their lives. We know that children placed into care are frequently fighting over the sofa, or a pile of blankets on the floor. We have to do better, we have to step up and help these kids and the families who open their hearts and homes to children in crisis.”
From beds and cribs, to clothing, diapers, backpacks with school supplies, and even a birthday package or a bicycle, the organization’s mission is to let these children know that our community cares. That despite each child’s circumstances, they are worthy and they are loved.
The Resource Center will include other nonprofit agencies who also provide assistance and support to boys and girls in foster care, as well as a community room to host sessions of interest for foster families, such as CPR training and foster parenting classes.
A NEW LOOK
Simultaneously, TFA is rolling out their new LOGO, with the tag line “Bringing Hope to Children in Foster Care.” Shufelt tells us, “These simple basic needs that we provide to kids give them support, give them hope and also add joy in their lives. The expression we see on a teenager’s face when they receive a personalized birthday gift, or on the face of a youngster who knows they will have a brand new “big boy bed” of their own to sleep in tonight is priceless. We take pride every day in knowing that our work truly does bring hope and joy to children who too often don’t experience enough of these emotions. We are so excited to continue our service to these kiddos, to gather together other resource providers and to stand up and say that we are here to help through this difficult and challenging journey.”
Dan Shufelt is the President & CEO of The Foster Alliance, the largest provider of basic needs to Arizona’s children in foster care. Learn more about the Organization atwww.azhelpinghands.org and contact Dan at dshufelt@azhelpinghands.org.
