Get Started
There are thousands of children in the care of the state of Arizona.
There is a great need for individuals, groups, churches and organizations to join the cause of orphan care to serve these children and make a difference. There are many ways to impact the life of a child in foster care. Individuals and families can provide safe, loving homes for children in care. They can also provide respite care to foster parents as needed, and support them in other ways. Together we also need to raise awareness about the need for foster families and advocate for children. Consider the ways below that you can help foster children in your community.
Call (800) 678-0648 to contact us for more information about how you can get involved!
Foster or Adopt
The need for foster parents is great in Arizona. There are thousands of children in care in the state (dcs.az.gov). Many of these children live in congregate care: shelters or group homes or institutions where dozens of other foster children live. These children do not have a family setting to stay in.
More foster homes are needed to give children a safe environment to stay in while one or both parents work to reunite with their children. This could take days, weeks, months or longer. Some of these children will never be able to return home, and they need a permanent family to love and care for them through adoption.
Find answers to frequently asked questions here.
Respite Care
Would you like to help children in the foster care system but don’t feel called to become licensed? How about helping out foster families by giving them a break? Getting licensed for respite means that you are licensed to provide temporary care for foster children while the foster family is out of town or on vacation for a short period of time. In-home respite care means that you would go to the foster family’s home to care for the children. Out-of-home respite care means that the foster family would drop of the child(ren) at your house to care for them while the family is away. Respite can last just a couple hours to about 2 weeks—you are able to decide which respites you want to provide and which you do not.
Church Partners
Help your members live out the biblical mandate to care for orphans. The church plays a critical role in combating the orphan crisis in Arizona. With thousands of children in the state’s care, the Body of Christ must come together to make a difference in the lives of foster children in our community. The greatest need are for families to open their homes to children, and there are many ways the church can support the cause of orphan care:
- Dedicate a service or sermon series on defending the defenseless, including children without homes in our own community
- Mobilize your members to support foster children and parents:
- Start a foster care and adoption ministry
- Volunteer for events
- Provide child care for foster families at your church, or at Arms of Love events and trainings
- Make Mother’s Day and Father’s Day cards for foster parents
- Inform your congregation and foster families that a Christian licensing agency is available to support them in caring for the growing number of children in care
- Request an Arms of Love speaker
- Host an orientation and invite interested families to contact us about fostering and adopting
- Provide space at your church for Arms of Love to hold licensing classes
- Host a drive for material goods
- Host a Parent’s Night Out event