November Partner Highlight
AZ127 - Foster Care Initiative
In the summer of 2021, fourteen-year-old Nathan’s life took a tragic turn. Nathan’s mom suddenly passed away. His dad was not in the picture and there were no family members to care for Nathan and his brother. Nathan went from being a normal teen to a child grieving the loss of his mother in the foster care system. When Nathan and his brother entered the system – there were no foster homes available. They were separated and sent to two different group homes – an hour away from their former school, friends + community.
Soon, Nathan’s teachers discovered that Nathan had suddenly, with no notice, transferred schools. Realizing the gravity of loss in Nathan’s life – a school administrator desperately reached out to Arizona 1.27. Through the network of Arizona 1.27 churches – word spread that two teens in the east valley desperately needed a family in order to reunite the grieving teens with their community + school. In a matter of days a family raised their hand to help an began the process to become an emergency placement for the teens. This compassionate family was supported by their church, small group and church leadership as they welcomed the siblings into their home.
This story reminds us of the beauty of when churches work together to care for the vulnerable and live out James 1:27. Nathan’s story is not unique. All over Arizona children are in need of families. Over the weekend 26 children just like Nathan slept in the emergency placement center waiting for a foster family.
Arizona 1:27 is a collaborative movement of churches working together to ensure every child in Arizona who needs a home through foster care and/or adoption has one. We exist to help churches build a thriving culture of foster care and adoption. Our prayer is that more churches and families would be raised up to care for the vulnerable kids like Nathan in our state – and we believe the local church can play a significant role in ensuring that ultimately more families would be waiting for children than children waiting for families.
In 2023, we are working to increase our collaborations of churches to mobilize people to be foster parents; but also our trauma, birth parent + educational advocacy programs. We are now a Qualified Foster Care tax credit Organization and singles/married filers can receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $1000 (for married filers). Az127.org/give.
If you would like to chat with us about getting your church involved, we would love to connect – please email lindsey@az127.org.
Blessings,
AZ127 Team
