May is National Foster Care Awareness Month

May is national foster care awareness month.  To recognize and reward our dedicated families for their care and commitment to children in the state's foster care system, Arizona's Children Association sponsors fun family events across the state throughout the month.

Families in the Central (Maricopa County) and Mid Central (Pinal and Gila Counties) celebrated with a day at the Phoenix Zoo on Saturday, May 8.  More than 540 people joined in the festivities, with zoo admissions, t-shirts and barbecue lunch for all!  In the words of event planner and licensing worker Chrissy Edwards, the event was a "rip roaring success."  Staff presented awards to families with more than five years of service. 

We appreciate our event sponsors:  Entravision Radio Stations, Classique DJ's, Bruce Brown Catering and the Phoenix Zoo.  Also, AzCA volunteers Deserie Hill, Maryellen Barber, Shannon Fisher, Craig Randleman, and many more donated water.

In Prescott, more than 300 foster and adoptive families gathered at the Prescott Heritage Park Zoo for a day full of fun and festivities including two animal shows for the children and families, raffle drawings and a barbecue lunch.  The Arizona's Children Association event in Prescott was done in collaboration with Catholic Charities, Ameripsych and HRT licensing agencies and sponsored by the Arizona Department of Economic Security.

In Coconino County the families were invited to a picnic on May 15^th were they enjoyed lunch and fishing along with many games.  This event was also sponsored by DES. 

On May 8^th families in the Verde Valley were treated to free bowling and pizza

In Sierra Vista, families celebrated at Veteran's Memorial Park in Sierra Vista with a jumping castle for the children, food, drinks, dessert, activities and a plaque for the families to share our appreciation with them. 

AZCA foster care workers in Southern Arizona, working together with all the other agencies in Pima County (Foster and Adoption Council of Tucson), and with the Arizona Heart Gallery,  held its 3rd annual Blue Ribbon Event on May 1st at Thoroughbred Nissan in Tucson.  The owner of Thoroughbred cleared out his sales floor and closed his service shop and let our families take over! There was free food, cotton candy, popcorn, snowcones, jumping castles, basketball court, a choo choo train, a clown, Extreme Mobile Gaming (a mobile gaming trailer), a DJ and youth speakers.  The group finished the finished the day off with a grand finale balloon release of 2700 balloons – one for each child in foster care in Pima County.

In Yuma, AzCA workers and volunteers honored the foster and adoptive families with a family fun night at the local Peter Piper Pizza providing them with unlimited pizza, drinks, tokens, and cake.  AzCA also held a raffle that night providing the Resource Parents with prizes from local businesses around the community.   Each foster family was provided a t-shirt thanking them for all of their hard work!

In Mohave and La Paz Counties, AzCA workers celebrated Foster Parent Appreciation Month with over 80 people at Bull Head City’s Scooters.  Pizza, drinks and cake were served while foster and adoptive families were provided tokens and unlimited miniature golf.  Each Foster family was provided an AzCA appreciation mug.

Meet Teri Hess and her family.  Teri is a single mother who started the process in 2002 to adopt a little girl.  She adopted Ashlee & Mimi in 2005, Angelina in 2007, Alexis, Isaac, and Arianna in 2009, and Sierra in 2010. She has an adult biological daughter as well. Her license plate says "8ISENUF" (eight is enough).  Thank you Teri for your dedication to the state's most vulnerable children.