Fostering Champions ILP

08/28/2026

From the sport to the real world 🏆💼
The drills end and the season closes, but what youth build through sports doesn’t stay on the field.

The discipline, resilience, and teamwork learned in sports follow young people into adulthood—shaping how they lead careers, support families, and strengthen communities. Sports don't just build athletes; they build better humans.

We’re proud to collaborate with to offer free sports programs so every child gets to play.

👉 Donate to AFD or Fostering Champions (link in bio) to break financial barriers and empower the next generation!

A special thank you to AZ Family’s Julia Lopez for reporting on our Pinal County Career Exploration Workshop, and to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office deputies for volunteering their time to mentor our youth.

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

08/06/2026

06/08/2026

We invite you to share this information with your foster care network. Open spots are currently available for our July Summer Workshop Series.

This information is vital for teens. When you as a parent can't breakthrough to your teen sometimes others can. You have to expose them to the opportunity.

It's a completely free 2.5-hour creative session, and lunch is provided

06/08/2026

Imagine navigating life without a single mentor or guide.
💔 You can be the consistent, caring presence a local youth needs.

Training is provided, schedules are highly flexible (about 1 hour a week!), and there is no strict contract or obligation just to learn more. If you're even a little bit interested, sign up to get more information!

Help us empower the next generation.👇

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0445ABAD23A6FBC61-64469793-fostering

06/03/2026

We invite you to share this information with your foster care network. Open spots are currently available. This information is vital for teens. It's a completely free 2.5-hour creative session, and lunch is provided.

05/21/2026

40 kits. Countless smiles. 📦✨

Today, our team dropped off 40 freshly packed hygiene kits to group homes across Pinal County.

Cleanliness isn’t a luxury—it’s a basic right, and we’re proud to connect resources to our Pinal County Group homes.

Huge shoutout to the volunteers & who crushed it during packing day! Thank you for providing a vital resource for this population.

VolunteerLife LocalImpact

05/15/2026

Better Together for Our Youth!

What an incredible afternoon at our Q2 Meet & Greet! (I forgot to take pictures until the end I captured a few)

There is nothing more powerful than a room full of dedicated hearts coming together with one common goal: advocating for the incredible youth in Pinal County.

🤝 A Community United

We were so honored to collaborate with a powerhouse of partners who are moving the needle for our kids:

Pinal County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO)
Juvenile Probation & Juvenile Courts
Department of Child Safety (DCS)
Florence Unified School District
Pinal County Supervisor Mike Goodman
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
Active Family Development & more…

✨ Highlights of the Day

The conversation led by Pinal County CASA was nothing short of inspiring. We didn't ’ust talk; we rolled up our sleeves to identify real barriers and find actionable ways to advocate for systemic change.

We also had the pleasure of hearing from Theresa from The Mary and Gloria Foundation.

Their commitment to supporting foster youth—both during their time in care and through the critical transition into aftercare—is truly life-changing.

📅 Save the Date!

The momentum doesn’t stop here! Mark your calendars and plan to join us as we continue this vital work:

🗓 Third Quarter Meet & Greet: August 25th

📢 How YOU Can Help

The need is great, and your voice matters!

-Mentorship: We are looking for mentors to guide and inspire these resilient young people.

-Become a CASA: There is a high demand for Court Appointed Special Advocates. You can be the consistent, caring adult a child needs.

-Events: Stay tuned for more details on our upcoming Q3 gathering!

Let’s keep building bridges, breaking down barriers, and ensuring every youth in Pinal County knows they have a village behind them. 🧡

05/14/2026

One year down, a lifetime of advocacy to go. 🧡

Serving on the Pinal County Foster Care Review Board for the last 365 days has been more than just “volunteering”—it’s been a mission.

When you’re advocating for youth aging out of the system, the perspective changes when you have lived experience.

It hits different when you aren’t just reading a file, but remembering what those rooms felt like. Who better to push for reform than someone who has seen the good, the bad, and the absolute ugly?

✅Why we need to move the needle:

1) Outdated Policies: Some of our current regulations haven’t been updated in 46 years. The world has changed; the system needs to catch up.

2) Aging Out: Our youth deserve more than a “good luck” when they turn 18. They need a skillset, not a just a stipend or dropped from care “18” stamp 📝

3) Authentic Voices: We need advocates who understand the nuance of the foster care journey from the inside out.

💯 grateful for this first year of service, but the work is far from over. There are so many things that need to be revisited and reimagined.

Will you join me? Whether it’s through service, mentorship, or raising your voice for policy change, we need you.

Our youth deserve a system that evolves as fast as they do.

AgingOut ChangeTheSystem VolunteerAZ