Today, in front of nearly 700 guests at the Arizona Biltmore Resort, Child Crisis Arizona hosted its annual fundraising luncheon to share with its guests the agency’s mission of safe kids and strong families.
Child Crisis Arizona announced its new name one year ago at this very fundraising luncheon and since then has served more than 5,500 children and families, has an annual operating budget of $17 million, and has grown to 280 staff members.
“In our first year as a merged organization, we have already experienced the benefits of efficiencies while pursuing opportunities for thoughtful and impactful growth. We have increased helping children with doubling our Early Education Services by adding service to 112 new Early Head Start children in Mesa. We have also expanded our parenting education program in the community in an effort to meet struggling families where they are, without barriers, to other facilities throughout Maricopa County, partnering with Goodwill, Fresh Start, and Maricopa County Libraries to name a few,” says Torrie A. Taj CEO.
Also Thalia Ambrosia, 19 spoke at the event and is a past shelter resident and now has returned to Child Crisis Arizona as a volunteer. At 5 years old, the unsteady cycle of neglect and abuse for Thalia and her brothers came to an abrupt halt when Child Crisis Arizona welcomed them into the shelter. Before Child Crisis Arizona, Thalia did not know what it felt like to be cared for or loved. “Thinking about it now, my experience at Child Crisis Arizona brings tears of joy to my eyes. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was wanted, and I felt like I had a home. The employees and volunteers who worked there were not just staff to me, they were my guardian angels. Instead of doing the minimum required to get by, they went above and beyond to make sure I felt not only safe but happy,” says Ambrosia.
A special thank you to event sponsors: The Bidstrup foundation, General Dynamics, Talking Stick Resort, Ford, Bank of Arizona, Jaburg Wilk and Macy’s.