Thunderbirds Charities grant provides essential needs for children in foster care
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Arizona Helping Hands is announcing the receipt of a $50,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities, which representatives say positions the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to continue providing support to thousands of foster families.
The grant will fund the ‘Essential Needs Program,’ which provides children with the basic supplies 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, officials there say, 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.
