Arizona Helping Hands is the state’s largest provider of essential needs to children in foster care. Thanks to a generous $50,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities, the organization will be well positioned to continue providing support to thousands of foster families.
The grant will fund the Essential Needs Program which supplies children with the basics they need to thrive during their foster care journey.
The program focuses on providing a safe place to sleep by distributing twin beds, cribs and linens. Every foster infant or toddler who comes through the Arizona Helping Hands warehouse receives a convertible bed that will grow with them. Older children receive a twin bed kit with a pillow and bedding set.
Bedding is not the only essential provided by Arizona Helping Hands. The warehouse also serves as a shopping center where foster families can select items for the foster children in their care once a month, including clothing, diapers, wipes, educational activities, personal hygiene kits and backpacks all free of charge. This program recently expanded through the first-ever Mobile Unit Delivery Program which significantly increases access to back-to-school and basic essentials to foster children across the state by visiting remote areas and distributing essential items.
In 2022, the Basic Needs program served 3,608 foster children and distributed 1,787 beds. This year, the organization has already surpassed this impact serving more than 4,000 children. With the help of the grant from Thunderbirds Charities the organization can meet the increased need, and more lives will be positively impacted.
This grant is part of the Spring 2023 cycle. View a list of all Recent Grantees.