Arizona kids in crisis: How you can help

While December may be ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ for many families, the Arizona Department of Child Safety reports over 18,000 kids have been placed into the foster care system in just the last six months.

And in the latest report from Arizona Department of Child Safety, the Child Abuse Hotline received 49,935 reports of child abuse or neglect over a recent 12-month period. That means close to 50,000 kids are struggling to receive even basic needs like diapers and food with 22 percent of them resulting in death due to neglect.

While these statistics are heartbreaking, there are local organizations fighting on the front lines to turn these numbers around. One of the most prominent is Child Crisis Arizona.

After merging with Crisis Nursery in 2015, Child Crisis Arizona now operates emergency shelters in Maricopa County for children up to 8 years old who have been removed from their homes or whose families are facing hardships.

Foster care, adoption, and early education programs are all part of the services Child Crisis Arizona provides to ensure the safety and well being of children in Arizona. Child Crisis Arizona also offers free parenting classes and workshops, support groups and resources for families and children in need.

As you can imagine, a non profit organization serving this much need in Arizona relies on a strong group of volunteers. And Child Crisis Arizona would certainly welcome your help to brighten the lives of kids in need. Just keep in mind that, due to the children’s need for consistency and stability, they asks volunteers to make a minimum one year commitment, volunteering a 2-3 hour shift per week.

But if volunteering isn’t an option for you, participating in events such as the Caring for Kids program not only provides critical supplies for kids in need, it can be a fun way to involve your whole family in something deeply meaningful.

As Torrie Taj, CEO, of Child Crisis Arizona states, “This season we are so thankful for our community that embraces our vision of Safe Kids, Strong Families. We would like to thank KTAR and Canyon State Credit Union  for organizing and sponsoring the Fourth Annual Caring for Kids collection drive. Through volunteering, donations and advocating on our behalf, our community makes it possible to help so many more children and families in our community” 

Started by KTAR News hosts Larry Gaydos and Mac Watson , Caring for Kids has grown into one of the largest supply drives of its kind in the southwest, collecting thousands of items such as diapers, sippy cups, clothing and more each December.

Programs like these can’t reach their full potential without strong support in the local business community.

At Canyon State Credit Union, in addition to being committed to our members, we are committed to the communities we serve. We believe it is our responsibility to give back to our community. The overall credit union philosophy is people helping people. That includes helping children right here where we live and work – making a difference for our neighbors. I toured Child Crisis Arizona and witnessed amazing things happening there. That’s why we think it is important to support them. The goods or donations that are received will make an immediate impact and put to good use as soon as they arrive.

About Canyon State Credit Union: Canyon State Credit Union has served the people of Arizona for more than 60 years, and is open for membership from anyone who lives, works, or worships in a number of zip codes within Arizona, as well as anyone who works for the credit union’s designated Select Employee Groups (SEGs). Their tagline at Canyon State is Committed To YOU™.   It’s not just a saying they take lightly, it’s a promise they make to provide members with the best products and services possible.