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 is two fold:

• To help children piece together their lives before they entered foster care,
• and to provide a tool to help break the cycle of child abuse.

Life Books are prepared over a six-month period by Arizona's Children Association volunteers. Volunteers pour over any and all documents they can find in order to discover the most intimate details of a child’s early history. 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.

One of the most integral parts of the Life Book Program is the narrative prepared by the volunteers. Essentially the life story of that child, the narrative binds the photos and other memories together in words; reinforcing the bond between child and Life Book Partner, and inspiring the child to continue to progress, overcome and prosper.

There are still many children waiting to have a Life Book of their own created.

For More Information
If you would like to become part of the Maricopa County-based Life Book Program by volunteering your time or donating materials, please contact Annette Hill Puccia at 602-234-3733 or 800-944-7611 ext. 111 or via email at ahill@arizonaschildren.org.