Onward Hope Incorporated

WE ARE COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING AND CONNECTING YOUTH AND FAMILIES TODAY, FOR A STRONG FUTURE TOMORROW. THOUGH 2021 WAS UNIQUELY DIFFICULT YEAR FOR EVERYONE, DUE TO THE IMPACT OF COVID-19, WE WERE STILL ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO MANY YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS, AND FAMILIES. WE HAVE SUPPORTED 474 YOUTH AND FAMILIES THROUGH 3 UNIQUE PROGRAMS.

THOUGH 2021 WAS UNIQUELY DIFFICULT YEAR FOR EVERYONE, DUE TO THE IMPACT OF COVID-19, WE WERE STILL ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO MANY YOUTH, YOUNG ADULTS, AND FAMILIES. WE HAVE SUPPORTED 164 PARENTS THROUGH OUR PARENT AIDE SERVICES. THE PARENT AIDE PROGRAM SUPPORTS BIOLOGICAL PARENTS WHOSE CHILDREN HAVE BEEN REMOVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SAFETY. THE CONTRACTED COMPONENT OF THIS PROGRAM CLOSED IN OCTOBER 2021, HOWEVER, WE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT BIOLOGICAL PARENTS THROUGH COACHING, PARENTING SKILLS CLASSES USING EVIDENCED-BASED CURRICULUM, RESOURCE NAVIGATION, AND EMERGENCY COVID-19 SUPPORTS. WE SUPERVISED VISITS BETWEEN BIOLOGICAL PARENTS AND CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF SKILLS DEVELOPED THROUGH PARENTING CLASSES AND TO KEEP CHILDREN CONNECTED TO THEIR PARENTS. WE MADE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILD SAFETY AS TO THE ENHANCEMENT OF THEIR PARENTING SKILLS TO CONSIDER FOR REUNIFICATION EFFORTS.

WE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT YOUTH AND FAMILIES THROUGH OUR FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION SERVICES PROGRAM. WE PROVIDED TRAINING AND PREPARATION SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES TO TAKE IN ARIZONA'S MOST VULNERABLE YOUTH. WE HAVE A SPECIFIC NICHE OF SUPPORTING FAMILIES WHO WANT TO CARE FOR TEENAGERS, LARGER SIBLING GROUPS, AND KINSHIP PROVIDERS. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REUNIFIED 38 FAMILIES AND HAD 8 SUCCESSFUL ADOPTIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THIS PROVIDED CONCRETE SUPPORTS FOR BOTH BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN FOR OUR LICENSED AND UNLICENSED FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION HOMES. WE HAD TWO ANNUAL EVENTS TO COMMEMORATE NATIONAL FOSTER CARE AWARENESS MONTH IN MAY AND NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY IN NOVEMBER, AS WELL AS OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY HOPE EVENT, IN WHICH WE PROVIDED $43,000 WORTH OF GIFTS TO 153 YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE FOR CHRISTMAS, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH TOYS FOR TOTS AND LOVE SOCIETY.

THROUGH OUR TRANSITION AGED SERVICES PROGRAM, WE HAVE SERVED 169 YOUTH AND YOUNG PEOPLE, FROM THE AGES OF 11-29. WE HAVE PROVIDED ON-GOING COACHING SUPPORT WHERE WE MATCH A YOUNG PERSON WITH A STAFF MEMBER COACH OR MENTOR AND PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE CAPACITY BUILDING COACHING SUPPORT IN THE WELL-BEING DOMAINS OF EDUCATIONAL, CAREER, SPIRITUAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL, AND SOCIAL NEEDS. WE HELP YOUTH DEVELOP YOUTH-CENTERED AND DRIVEN TRANSITION PLANS, THAT ARE UNIQUE TO EACH YOUTH, TO HELP IDENTIFY AREAS THAT WILL SUPPORT THEIR SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION INTO ADULTHOOD AND WE PAIR THAT PLAN WITH PRACTICAL LIFE SKILLS TRAINING. WE HELP YOUTH IDENTIFY PERMANENT CONNECTIONS, HEALING RELATIONSHIPS, AND PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. WE PARTNERED WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AND LOCAL UNIVERSITIES TO EXPAND OUR SUPPORT AND COORDINATE EFFORTS. ADDITIONALLY, WE SUPPORTED 32 YOUTH IN A PILOT TRANSITIONAL HOUSING, ULTIMATELY SECURING LONG-TERM HOUSING FOR 29 OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, IN THEIR OWN HOMES, WITH ROOMMATES, OR REUNITED WITH FAMILY. THIS PILOT WILL BE USED TO SCALE HOUSING SERVICES IN A APARTMENT SETTING VERSUS CONGREGATE CARE SETTING IN THE FUTURE. WE EXPANDED OUR SUPPORT OF TRANSITION AGED YOUTH, TO YOUNG MOTHERS AND FATHERS, THIS YEAR AS WELL, BY PROVIDING THEM PARENTING SKILLS CLASSES WITH EVIDENCE-BASED CURRICULUMS, SUCH AS NURTURING PARENT, PARTNERS FOR A HEALTHY BABY AND TRIPLE P. THIS PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE GENERATIONAL CYCLES OF SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT AND TO INCREASE THE SKILLS OF OUR YOUNG PARENTS. IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT WE SERVE THE ENTIRE FAMILY STRUCTURE, BY CENTERING HEALTHY CO-PARENTING RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNICATION AND BOUNDARIES. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE TRANSITION AGED SERVICES GOING FORWARD.