Parent and Child Services
Community Resources for Foster Children, Foster Families, Kinship Caregivers, and Adoptive Families
Whether your foster child needs behavioral health resources, clothing, school supplies, or food assistance, there are many community resources available in Tucson and Arizona to help them and the families that care for them. Below are some local and state-wide resources that you can further investigate and contact to find whatever it is that you are looking for. All of the resources mentioned below are free or low-cost for foster children and their families. If you still have questions or need assistance, please feel free to contact Spreading Threads Clothing Bank directly.
Affirming Wardrobe
Welcome to The Affirming Wardrobe, a dedicated service located in Tucson, AZ, that aims to empower and support transgender and gender non-conforming youth up to the age of 24. You can find us at the University of Arizona Lutheran Campus Ministries, our 2nd location is at El Rio RHAP Clinics on Congress.
Our mission is to provide an inclusive and supportive environment for individuals seeking assistance with their wardrobe needs. We offer a wide range of services, all provided free of charge. Whether you’re in need of chest binders, bras, underwear, or packers, or simply looking for a trans peer to offer guidance and support, we are here for you.
AVIVA Children’s Services
AVIVA is a member of the Easter Seals Blake Foundation and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization also located in Tucson. For more than 40 years, AVIVA Children’s Services has worked to improve the quality of life for children who are victims of neglect, abuse, and poverty that are in the care of Arizona’s Department of Child Safety (DCS). AVIVA provides programs to enhance their self-esteem as well as resources including supplies, clothing, and personal care items.
The Foster Alliance
(Formerly Arizona Helping Hands)
Supports foster and kinship families at times of crisis or need by providing them basic essentials such as bedding, clothes, personal effects, holiday and special occasion toys, school supplies, and emergency assistance. They also act as a resource helping to connect families to other community-based services including foster care enrichment and support providers.
Boost a Foster Family
Boost a Foster Family was created to meet the needs of low-income kinship families applying for foster care licensure. As a 501(c)3 non-profit, Boost a Foster Family receives referrals from the Arizona Department of Child Services and Arizona licensing agencies that are working with families experiencing financial difficulties. We believe that by helping to provide in-kind donations and services such as fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and fees for CPR classes, we can remove some of the obstacles that slow down the licensing process while at the same time making a home safe for vulnerable foster children.
FostAdopt Connections
FostAdopt Connections is a new grassroots nonprofit founded in 2021 for kinship, foster, and adoptive families in Tucson. Our mission is to support and empower kinship, foster, and adoptive families by providing mentorship and building connections to resources and the local community. Typically organizations involved in foster care have contracts with the state which provides these agencies with funding. This often leads them to make decisions based on funding rather than the needs of foster children and foster families. At FostAdopt Connections, we are committed to being a neutral and safe place for kinship, foster, and adoptive families to get the support, training, resources, and guidance they need for success so we choose to remain financially independent.
Foster Cooperative
Foster Cooperative is an open-sourced online community powered by Foster Arizona for anyone helping children and youth facing adversity to find connections, peer support, quality resources and training, community events, and innovative communication methods to be empowered with tools needed to succeed.
Foster Ed
Young people who come into contact with public systems – especially those who languish in the child welfare and justice systems – have been chronically let down by so many of the adults in their lives. The opportunity to learn has been interrupted by unnecessary home and school moves. They rarely receive credit for the coursework they have completed. They are consistently educated in substandard learning environments. They face – every day – countless adults who hold heartbreakingly limiting expectations for their future.
The data substantiating these lived experiences is stark, revealing a staggering achievement gap, chronic poor attendance, and alarming school mobility. This is a situation that can and must change.
I Am You 360
I Am You 360™ is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has served homeless and foster youth since 2014 through a holistic, unique, and innovative approach. In Pima County alone, there are 7,000 homeless youth and more than 3,000 children and teens in foster care. Many do not have their basic human needs met nor are they treated with the dignity they deserve. Not only does I Am You 360™ provide hygiene kits to homeless and foster children, but they provide other programs as well such as employment and training to vulnerable youth who learn valuable career-preparation skills.
More Than A Bed
A Christian-based, nonprofit in Tucson, More Than a Bed supports foster, kinship, and adoptive families and the children in their homes by providing practical items such as clothing, beds, household items, cribs, car seats, and more. They also provide programs and event for foster children and their families throughout the year.
One for All- Foster Care Support Network
One for All was organized during the COVID-19 pandemic by several foster care support agencies in Arizona working together to help foster children and their families. All Arizona foster and kinship families and those who serve them are invited to check out One for All. This organization recognizes the difficult work that foster families do and that the current circumstances of COVID-19 have made it even more difficult. During the current pandemic, 14 foster care support organizations joined forces to support the needs of foster families to offer resources statewide. From food and cleaning supplies to beds and clothing, One for All is here to help you provide for your foster child(ren).
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation
The Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation is a statewide nonprofit organization that has been “funding fun” for children in foster care for more than 34 years. From summer camps to swim lessons and athletics to clubs, the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation grants funds to cover the expenses of foster children to have the same opportunities to enjoy their childhood as every other child. Additionally, they provide post-secondary scholarships to allow foster children to pursue a higher education after graduating from high school.
Arizona Association for Foster & Adoptive Parents
The Arizona Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents offers a plentitude of resources from support groups and behavioral health services for DCS children to community information and referrals. There are also educational, food, and family worksheet resources as well for foster children and their families regardless of placement type.
Seeds Community Center
Another grassroots, nonprofit organization in Tucson, Seeds Community Center offers support to foster children and kinship families through support groups, youth enrichment programs, community events, and other resources.