CELEBRATE OUR UNION
AND CHANGE A LIFE.
In lieu of wedding gifts, please consider making a donation to Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation that will change the life of a child in foster care.
You win.
Kids in foster care win.
A MESSAGE FROM MICHELLE AND PATRICK
Thank you for considering donating to a very special cause in lieu of wedding cards or gifts. We have been so blessed in our lives and are honored to have you in it!
We humbly invite you to join us in supporting those who have potential for greatness, but don’t always have the same opportunities to showcase their abilities like we do. Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation pays for children and youth in foster care to participate in the activities that make being a kid fun.
No amount is too great, or too small. Every little bit helps. Let’s give these amazing individuals an edge in breaking boundaries and finding the voices they were always meant to share with the world!
ABOUT AFFCF
Every day, about 20 children and youth enter foster care in Arizona. They are placed in the homes of strangers, or a group home. They go to a new school where they don’t know anyone. They don’t know what tomorrow holds or that they can have a successful future. Nothing in their lives is normal.
All they want is to be just like every other kid:
- To play a team sport like soccer
- To go on the school field trip and not be the only kid in class left behind
- To gain employable skills that will prepare them for transitioning out of foster care
- To go to college and attain their career goals
- To be able manage the curveballs life throws at them so they can continue pursuing their education
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation (AFFCF) creates opportunities to build self-esteem and empower children and youth in foster care by funding services to enrich their life experiences and ensure their successful transition to adulthood. AFFCF serves children in foster care in three key impact areas:
Childhood Activities:
The basic daily foster home rate paid by the state for each child in foster care is $19/day. That barely takes care of the necessities. AFFCF eases the burden by paying for the activities and experiences that making being a kid fun.
Keys to Success:
One of the biggest gaps in foster care is the way we prepare and assist older youth as they age out of foster care. Our Keys to Success program provides career, education and workforce development services that help them attain personal and financial freedom.
Post-Secondary Programs:
Young people who age out of foster care without any supports in place face even more barriers than those with no foster care experience. AFFCF’s Post-Secondary programs provide funds for tuition and fees, as well as for unexpected life emergencies for young people who age out of foster care and wish to get a post-secondary degree.
Caring people like you make it possible for AFFCF to give children and youth in care the same opportunities that their non-foster care peers have. From paying for childhood activites to providing career, education and workforce development services to providing scholarships, we are making life better for kids in care every day.
You can change a life simply by donating to AFFCF. Whether you choose to make a one-time gift or a recurring donation, your support means everything to a child in foster care. You can also get credit for your donation through the Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit, up to $1,051 for couples and $526 for individuals.
DID YOU KNOW?
Of every dollar donated to AFFCF:
- 85% goes to programs
- 15% goes to administration and fundraising
We are committed to being good stewards of the funds we receive and ensuring our goal to reach every child in Arizona’s foster care.
WHAT YOUR DONATION DOES
$1,000
Pays for six months of services to a participant in Keys to Success, a career, education and workforce development program designed to help young people aging out of foster care to lead successful, independent lives
$500
Provides much-needed tutoring for a child who is below grade level
$200
Buys supplemental clothing and books for a child in foster care
$100
Buys a weighted blanket/vest for a child who struggles with severe anxiety because of his or her circumstances
$50
Buys in-state theme park admission for a child who desperately needs a little fun
GIVING FAQs
How Does AFFCF Raise the Money to Pay for Awards?
AFFCF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We receive no funding from federal or state government. Our funding depends entirely on generous individual, foundation and corporation donors.
Who Receives My Donation?
Your donation to AFFCF goes to provide an athletic, educational or social activity or an item to a child in foster care in Arizona that would not be paid for in any other way. AFFCF funds awards for such items and activities as apartment set ups for youth aging out of foster care, summer camp, class photos, gymnastics, karate, music or swimming lessons, prom expenses, school field trips, post-secondary scholarships and more.
Does My Donation Qualify for a Tax Credit?
Yes! AFFCF is a qualifying Foster Care Charitable Organization. Arizona law allows you to claim a tax credit of up to $1,051 for joint filers and up to $526 for individual filers for voluntary contributions you make during any taxable year. For more information visit the Arizona Department of Revenue’s website at www.azdor.gov and/or consult your tax professional.
Are There Any Other Ways I Can Give to AFFCF?
You bet! There are many ways you can contribute. In fact, it can be easy as linking your Fry’s Community Rewards card, using your employer’s matching gift program, holding your own fundraiser, etc. Contact our outreach coordinator, Kim Searles, at ksearles@affcf.org to learn more.
How Many Children Does AFFCF Serve?
Since our beginning in 1984, AFFCF has paid more than $1,650,000 in awards serving more than 80,000 children and youth in Arizona.
What Is the AFFCF Funding Process?
You simply need to complete our application. Along with the application, we require documentation from the vendor/provider (a flyer, a screenshot of a website, an email from the vendor/provider, etc.) that shows the cost of the activity/service. Our application also requires the contact information for the child’s DCS/tribal caseworker as we do verify that the child is a ward of the state of Arizona. For tutoring assistance requests, we do ask for additional documentation. Please see our award guidelines for more details.
If your request falls within our guidelines, it will be approved once we have received documentation and a response from the caseworker. PLEASE NOTE THAT AFFCF CANNOT CONSIDER FUNDING ANYTHING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PAID FOR PRIOR TO RECEIVING APPROVAL FOR THAT SPECIFIC REQUEST.
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation
_____________________________________
Address: 360 E Coronado Rd Suite 190, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Phone: 602.693.1866
Email: grants@affcf.org