Brothers Angel and Juan have a deep love for one another that is only rivaled by their love of football. In fact, they say finding a football loving family is near the top of their list.
But when the 15 and 16-year-olds aren’t watching or playing, you can find them in the kitchen hoping to learn more about their Hispanic roots and cooking up delicious Mexican food. The pair say one day they may be interested in opening their own restaurant.
Laid back Owen hopes to find a family that that has, “no drama.” The 14-year-old has a kind spirit and likes to see the best in everyone.
Like many boys his age, Owen likes to play video games and loves riding the rides at Castles and Coasters. He also enjoys staying active playing baseball and football.
Fun loving nine-year-old Skylar dreams of a forever family with a big backyard she can run and play in. She also hopes for parents who give her a lifetime of love and will want to have fun and play with her.
Some of Skylar’s favorite activities include building with LEGOS, arts and crafts, watching TV, and all things horses. Her outgoing, bubbly personality lights up the room and she greatly enjoys making new friends everywhere she goes.
Brother and sister Jordan and Kohana have each other’s backs. Now, they’re looking for a family that will have theirs too.
Big sister Kohana likes playing volleyball, spending time with her friends, and listening to music. Jordan is a ball of energy who likes trampoline parks and playing with his friends. They hope to find an equally active family to build a lifetime of memories with.
Reyes is a sweet, active boy with an infectious laugh. He has a carefree personality and just likes to have fun no matter what he is doing.
Reyes is looking for a loving family that will support him as he enters his teen years and into adulthood. He has a very close relationship with his biological sister and would like to maintain that bond after adoption.
Adrian is a bright, outgoing teen who has a great sense of humor. When he meets new people, he wants to know all about them and strike up a conversation.
The high schooler greatly enjoys going to school and seeing his friends and his teachers. He says after graduation he might want to become a police officer or host his own successful YouTube channel. Right now he likes to stay up-to-date on the latest technology and eating French fries from McDonalds.
Jesus is a soft-spoken teen who likes to spend time with his friends and adults. He likes to stay active and says playing basketball with his friends is one of his favorite things to do.
Jesus is looking for a supporting and caring family that wants to spend time with him. He hopes to find a family that likes to try new things together and will support each other for a lifetime.
Sixteen-year-old Tamiru is currently in high school, but he dreams of becoming an engineer when he is older. For now, he enjoys spending time with his friends and having fun.
Tamiru says his favorite meal of the day is breakfast and some of his favorite foods include pancakes, sausage, and hot chocolate. He hopes to find a forever family that will share his favorite meal with him.
Owen’s outgoing personality makes it easy for him to make friends everywhere he goes. Combined with his interest in everything from classic cars to food to lazy days on the couch help him find something to talk about.
Owen hopes to find a supportive family that will allow him to explore his many interests and will spend time with him. He also hopes to find a family that loves chocolate as much as he does.
When Shawn isn’t in school, you can probably find him at the local teen center creating new music beats on the computer. For Shawn, music is a creative outlet that allows the somewhat shy teen to express himself.
Shawn hopes to find a forever family that supports his dreams of becoming a music producer. He would also like an active family that enjoys spending time together and enjoys the outdoors.
Fourteen-year-old Wesson has a personality that lights up the room. Not only is he outgoing, he is incredibly friendly and likes to make true connections with those he meets.
One of Wesson’s favorite hobbies is writing and recording music. He says music helps him process his thoughts and feelings, and over the years he has amassed a collection of notebooks filled with original songs.
Mathew is a kind-hearted teen who has a soft spot for all animals. He likes cats, dogs, lizards, and especially hamsters. Mathew does say that having a pet in his forever home is not a requirement. He just wants one that is full of love and support.
The teen isn’t sure what his future holds career wise, but he hopes for, “a better life without being in a foster home.”
A giver by nature, Brian likes to help and serve others. It’s one of the reasons he wants to become a chef when he is older. Brian also says that food helps him express his creativity and he likes to put together different flavor combinations.
Brian is an easy-going teen who likes to learn about others and build true relationships with them. He can’t wait to do so with a family of his own.
Abigail is a soft spoken teen who enjoys expressing herself through her creativity. She enjoys painting, coloring, and all things arts and crafts.
Abigail hopes to find a forever family where she can be a big sister. She says she’d like to be a positive role model and enjoys spending time with younger kids.
Cristos is a sweet, active 12-year-old boy who enjoys playing with his friends, going to school, and all things animals.
Cristos would like to find a forever family that has kids his own age to play with and he dreams of one day having his own pet rabbit. He likes to go to the park to play and stay active and would like a family who feels the same.
With his outgoing personality and bright smile, it’s hard to not be drawn to Joshua. The middle schooler loves to meet new people and find common interests to talk about. He is always ready for an adventure and can’t wait to explore life with a forever family.
Joshua would love to find an active family to call his own and dreams of having older siblings. The teen enjoys playing and watching football and would like to share that bond with a family.
Twelve-year-old Riley and her five-year-old brother, Michael, have an incredibly close bond that they hope a forever family will celebrate.
The duo enjoys spending time outside, eating ice cream, and spending time with those they love. They hope to find a family that feels the same. The pair isn’t picky when it comes to a forever family. As Riley says, family is, “people who love and care about you.”
It’s hard not to laugh and smile when you spend time with Owen. Although he is soft-spoken, the teen is always quick with a joke and he hopes to find a family who will share some laughs with him.
When Owen isn’t making others laugh, he likes to play video games, but he truly shines when he can be creative. Not only does he like to draw and build with LEGOS, Owen is an origami wiz and enjoys making paper creations.
Fourteen-year-old Rose is a smart, hardworking, driven teen. She hopes to find a forever family that will cheer her on every step on her way to success.
Rose says some of her favorite activities are swimming, drawing, listening to and writing music. She also enjoys painting her nails and going to school to see her friends and teachers.
Twelve-year-old Riley and her five-year-old brother, Michael, are an active, fun loving duo who can’t wait to share their enthusiasm with a forever family.
Riley can be shy at first, but her quick sense of humor has nowhere to hide. Once she is comfortable with a new person, she is very social and chatty.
With nearly 14,000 kids in Arizona's child welfare system, there are many roles individuals can take on, and lately some of those roles have been falling on seniors.
And a common role seniors play includes kinship caregivers and volunteers.
One way is through adoption.
While there are several categories of adoptable children, at Aid to Adoption of Special Kids, we focus on the adoption of children in the Arizona foster care system.
Over our 32 year history, AASK has facilitated thousands of adoptions. We’ve learned a few things along the way.
No matter what the calendar says, Carlos’ music playlist says it’s December 25.
The 9-year-old boy loves Christmas music all year. And if you could combine Christmas music with Fourth of July fireworks? Well, you’d have the perfect holiday.
Teens typically come with drama. Not 15-year-old Dylan.
He is literally, the most chill, laid back kid,” says Kayla, a child specific adoption recruiter with Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK).
The teen is laid back, but still loves to play outdoors. Dylan loves playing baseball and splashing in the pool.
If you see 14-year-old Adrian out and about these days, he will be wearing a mask to do his part to slow the spread of COVID-19. But you can be sure that behind that mask is a smile.
Adrian is almost always smiling. And when he isn’t smiling, he is laughing or giggling. “Adrian is that type of person,” says group home manager Alanson Boyd. “He is happy to be here.”
Ron Adelson knows relationships matter.
“That’s not just warm and fuzzy poster material,” says the CEO of Aid to Adoption of Special Kids. “It’s science.”.
Much has changed since the COVID-19 virus swept across the globe. But one thing hasn’t changed — children in foster care need homes.
After years of decline, the number of children in foster care this fiscal year has topped last year’s count.
La orden de quedarse en casa se incrementó el número de casos de violencia doméstica. Muchos niños han resultado afectados. Le decimos que puede hacer si desea ayudar.
Teens typically come with drama. Not 15-year-old Dylan.
“He is literally, the most chill, laid-back kid,” says Kayla, a child specific adoption recruiter with Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK).
A courtroom is typically a solemn place, but courtrooms will be the site of celebration for the 20th Annual National Adoption Day in Maricopa County as more than 100 children become part of a forever family.
Hiking and kayaking in the cool high country near Payson are a great way to spend a week in June. And doing it while bringing smiles to the faces of children in foster care is even better.
While a state of limbo lingers as legislators work to conform Arizona tax law to changes in the federal tax code, one thing remains certain – there is an easy way to help children in foster care.
As a foster-adoptive parent, seeing the new movie “Instant Family” hit home on many levels. Our family has personally experienced similar versions of nearly every scene.
Foster care and adoption through foster care can be complicated. Like a lot of complicated issues, myths often obscure the reality.
For Father's Day this year, George Hursh will have a chance to celebrate at least 12 times over – once for every child that he and his wife, Kate, have adopted.
Young people in foster care face a range of unique risks when it comes to identity protection and cyber security. Before reaching the age of 18, many foster youths have already become targets for identity theft and had their credit destroyed.
Across Arizona, non-profit agencies are helping to place foster children in safe and loving homes. The Season for Sharing campaign through The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com helped make this possible for hundreds of children around the Valley and state this past year.
The Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit reduces your state income tax obligation $1 for every dollar you give to Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) or other qualifying Arizona foster care organizations. That means when you give AASK $100 now, you will get that $100 back in the form of a lower state income tax bill. The tax credit limits are $500 for individuals and $1,000 for a couple filing a joint return.
A record-breaking event benefitting the community’s foster children took place in mid-July. Arizona Friends of Foster Children’s 5th Annual Backpack Drive scored big, collecting 6,000 backpacks stuffed with a variety of school supplies for the most vulnerable children. This generous display of community unites four nonprofits, local businesses and Phoenix residents to ensure foster children are outfitted with everything they need for the new school year.
During the agency’s first-ever company-wide Philanthropy Day, Fingerpaint employees came together to decorate and fill duffel bags, called “Sweet Cases,” to help lift the spirits of children in the foster care system, who often have nothing but a trash bag to carry their belongings, according to a press release.
CEO of AASK, Ron Adelson's, op-ed piece about kinship foster care in the Arizona Republic
Phoenix, AZ, March 10, 2021 - The Arizona Republic recently awarded $20,000 to Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK)
through their Season for Sharing grant. This grant provides support for families who open their homes to
a child in foster care.
Phoenix, AZ, December 12, 2017 – The Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit reduces your state income tax obligation one dollar for every dollar you give to Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) or other qualifying Arizona foster care organizations.
Phoenix, AZ, December 05, 2017 – Once a month, children in foster care have the chance to reconnect with their siblings through the AASK Sibling Connection program.
Phoenix, AZ, November 16, 2017 – An online guide for Arizona‟s foster families now has a new look and new content.
Phoenix, AZ, July 20, 2017 – Monsoon season just started, but the start of school will be here before you know it and AASK is already working to make sure the school year starts strong for children in foster care.
Phoenix, AZ, June 30, 2017 – Thunderbird Charities, the charitable giving arm of the Thunderbirds, hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open presented by Ak-Chin Indian Community, recently awarded $25,000 to Aid to Adoption of Special Kids (AASK) to provide immediate support for families who open their homes to a child in foster care.
Media Contact: Russ Funk
602-930-4419 rfunk@aask-az.org