It is probably no surprise that this question is asked of us in one form or another quite often.    

 

It would be dishonest of me to tell you that things in Arizona’s foster care system are perfect. One only needs to read the news to know that there has been a lot of turmoil in the system. And, it is a fair question to ask “why would I drag myself, friends, and family into this mess?”.

 

There is really only one reason I can give: the kids. As a community we have 2 options. We can choose to get involved in the lives of these kids or we can choose to ignore what is going on in our own backyard. When we get involved, the kids are the ones who benefit. When we don’t, they are the ones that suffer. The highest number of kids ever are living in group homes. Over 800 kids are aging out each year. The most recent numbers show over 1,000 kids needing adoptive families. Kids are on the waitlist for Court Appointed Special Advocates and mentors. There are so many kids in need and not enough people stepping in to help.

I can promise you that there will be plenty of frustrations if you choose to get involved. But, I can also promise you that engaging in making a difference for a child will leave you forever changed. Getting involved in foster care has been incredibly hard but one of the best decisions of my life.
Thank you for your great question! If you have questions, send them to #youaskedfa or Kim@fosteraz.com