Can you imagine how you'd feel if you didn't know where you were born? Or whether you had siblings or not? Or what your favorite games were as a small child? Can you imagine how you would feel if you couldn't name even one related family member?

Many of the children who receive services from Arizona's Children Association don't have to imagine.  Their histories are muddled in a series of unstable homes and transitional environments.  The Life Book Program is our way of giving our children answers to these most basic questions.

The goals of the Life Book Program are two fold:

1. To help children piece together their lives

2. To provide a tool to help break the cycle of child abuse

Although bringing the child's past to life is important, Life Books also serve to help the child establish and strive for future goals.  Sections such as "My First Car" or "College Graduation" give the child a milestone to look forward to; inspiring the child to continue to progress, overcome and prosper.

Volunteers provide handmade scrapbook pages for parents of our foster children to use in a personal album of memories and factual information. Be apart of uncovering a child’s history in a variety of open placements in the Life Book program: Scrapbook Party Planning, Scrapbooking, or Community Outreach and Recruitment.

There are still many children waiting to have a Life Book of their own created.  If you would like to become part of the Life Book Program by volunteering your time or donating materials, please contact your local volunteer coordinator:

Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham and Greenlee Counties

Mary Steed

1.800.947.7611 x1305

msteed@arizonaschildren.org

All other Arizona Counties

Andrea Wallace

1.800.944.7611 x2164

awallace@arizonaschildren.org