Ocj Kids

OCJ Kids provides suitcases to youth aging out of foster care. Each youth is given 2 empty suitcases for their personal belongings. They also receive a duffle bag filled with a blow up air mattress w/ built in pump, sheets, blanket, pillow and many other resources. The bag comes with a resource folder containing a $100 Target gift card, $100 Walmart gift card and 31 day bus pass. The young adult has the opportunity to call OCJ Kids once a month to check in for 12 months. Each month that they call in, they will receive a Little Caesar's pizza card. This allows OCJ Kids the opportunity to be a resource as they journey through the transition of independent living, creating opportunities for us assist with housing, employment, education, etc as they need assistance.

As children are removed from a neglectful or dangerous situation, they often are removed with little or not appropriate clothing for the removal. These children are often hungry and have little available to eat in the home. OCJ Kids provides case workers with new pajamas, diapers or underpants, and wipes so that the children being removed can be cleaned up and placed into new, clean pajamas at the moment of removal. We include emergency food cards with the pajamas so that the case workers can purchase a meal for them while they work to place the children in a safe environment. OCJ Kids provides and average of 3,000 pair of pajamas to case workers each year.

Each summer, OCJ Kids partners with a ranch in Wickenburg to host a Cowboy Camp for foster group home youth ages 12 -18. During this one night camp, a single group home at a time participates in outdoor razor (side by side) rides in the Arizona desert, a camp fire, cowboy games, a horse clinic and an early morning horse back ride. The opportunity to step away from the everyday life of city life and group homes, allows the teens a chance to lower their walls, hope and dream for the future.

Youth who age out of foster care are eligible to receive a free cell phone from OCJ Kids. They are required to check in once a month to add the additional month's minutes for up to 6 months. Each month when they check in a member of our staff will receive updates on housing, work, education, community connections etc. and provide resources to assist the youth in their journey as needed. At the end of the six month time period, the young adult may keep their phone and transfer to a pre-paid phone plan or an account with T-Mobile if the have the established credit necessary.

OCJ Kids has partnered with Northern Arizona University's Occupational Therapy students for the past 4 years. Out of this relationship we have developed the Interact Project. The project provides a resource for volunteers, foster group home staff, foster parents and those working with children in foster care, to address the trauma based delays often seen in children in foster care. These tools focus on improving gross motor skills, fine motor skills, cognitive awareness, and self regulation.

OCJ Kids provides an exciting and positive memory filled Christmas celebration at a bowling alley each year. Every participating foster child/teen has the opportunity to bowl, hang out with Santa, and receives gifts from a specific wish list given to us by the child/teen.

Foster children living in local group homes are invited to a celebration for back to school. They experience team building games and crafts, participate in a session with a motivational speaker and have the opportunity to choose their own backpack from hundreds of backpacks. Each child receives a bag filled with age appropriate supplies to begin the school year and increase their chances of success.

When a child enters foster care, they often come with only the clothing on their back. As the teens enter the foster group homes, OCJ Kids provides the homes with a hygiene supply kit (Welcome Kit) for the teens. These kits are placed into the group homes each month and are already at the house before the teen arrives. We have also modified this Welcome Kit and have an infant/toddler and elementary version. These kits are available to the group homes and to any case worker across Arizona for the children they work with.