October 12th Luncheon Updates

Published On: October 24, 2022

Kiwanis President Joyce Jordan introduced our October 12th meeting program, then had Sandra Carrier introduce Sheryl Bell, Chair of the Funds Request Committee.

Sheryl introduced Brenda Olive from the Desert Awareness Park Committee who thanked Kiwanis for our significant donation for the park’s equipment for children.  There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on November 15th at the park and all members are invited.  The Communication Committee is hoping that a new banner pole will be completed by the Town of Cave Creek in time for the ribbon cutting at the new park so that our Kiwanis banners can be hung from it and be part of the ceremony.

Sheryl Bell, then introduced Kiwanis Member, Anne Johnson, Executive Director of the Cave Creek Library, who thanked Kiwanis for the donation of funds for new furniture.

Sandra then introduced Kimberly Searles, Outreach Coordinator of Arizona Friends of Foster Children’s Foundation (AFFCF), who presented a very meaningful and detailed recap of how they support children in foster care.  These are some of her power point highlights:

  1. 11,551 children are currently in foster care in Arizona, with 23 entering foster care each day in Arizona, and 900+ youth will age out of Arizona’s foster care system per year.
  2. Since 1984 when AFFCF granted their first award, they have paid out more than $14 million and served over 77,000 children in foster care all over Arizona.
  3. In just 2021 AFFCF’s major funding for foster care went to Camps, Bikes/Scooters/Skates, Swimming Lessons, Tutoring Services, and Clothing.
  4. AFFCF established a “Keys to Success” program in 2014 to provide youth transitioning from foster care with intensive, individualized career education and employment development services.
  5. AFFCF also has a post-secondary scholarship program to assist youth in foster care with funding so they can attend community college or local universities.
  6. AFFCF also helps young men and women, who have aged out of foster care programs with emergency funds for expenses that could derail their education.
  7. Their “Keys to Financial Success” course teaches money management skills to those transitioning from foster care to adulthood.

Anyone interested in seeing Kimberly’s entire power point presentation, please request from Sandra Carrier at:  Sandra.Carrier@kiwaniscarefree.org