skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, February 7, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Judge pauses deadline for federal workers to accept Trump's resignation offer; CA state lawmakers take action to enact safeguards against federal immigration enforcement; Study shows air quality disparities from industrial ag in NC.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Group Wants to Expand Adoption Services in Arizona

play audio
Play

Thursday, July 20, 2023   

One organization wants to help the longest waiting children in Arizona's foster-care system find their way into loving, adoptive family homes.

Rita Soronen, CEO of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, said Arizona was one of the first states where they launched their Wendy's Wonderful Kids Program, a child-focused recruitment model, which Soronen noted works to help children with a higher likelihood of going through the foster care system and not being adopted.

Soronen added the goal is to get enough youths adopted from the foster system, so the state can then use the savings to pay for the program independently. Currently, there are three adoption recruiters which are privately funded by the foundation in the state.

"They've finalized over time more than 340 adoptions, the average age of the child that they're serving is 14, I think 95% of those children that they're serving are in sibling groups," Soronen outlined. "They're really right in the heart of that focus population. What we would love to continue to do in Arizona, is take this program to scale."

Soronen emphasized in order to take things to scale and get 20 to 30 recruiters in Arizona, it takes what she calls a "co-investment relationship" between the state or counties and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption to serve all children in need. Since 2005, the foundation has served 606 youths in Arizona and are currently serving 58.

Jeanie Gaskill, an adoptive parent, and her husband were presented with the opportunity to foster two siblings through one of the foundation's three recruiters, which would lead to their eventual adoption by the couple.

She said it was nice for the children to meet her and her husband first as their foster parents, as it alleviated some of the pressure. After six months, they decided to adopt the siblings. Gaskill recommended families interested in fostering and adoption learn about what she called "trauma-informed parenting."

"Because it is completely different than parenting a child who you gave birth to or has not experienced trauma," Gaskill explained. "It is very different and it is a mind shift. I have a social work background, so it wasn't that much of a jump for me, but it can be, I think, for a lot of people."

Gaskill added it is important to give children time to process and realize they might present one way and feel totally different on the inside. She advised everyone to take their time and educate themselves as much as possible.

Disclosure: The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, LGBTQIA Issues, Philanthropy, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
Opponents of a South Dakota bill that would require the Ten Commandments be posted in all public school classrooms say it would be an unfunded mandate. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

A South Dakota House committee takes up a controversial bill today that would require all school districts in the state to display the Ten Commandment…


play sound

Virginia ranks third behind only Maryland and Delaware among the worst states for the average amount of back wages companies owe to their workers…

Environment

play sound

Some North Dakota school districts are part of a movement that has embraced electric school buses, but the federal funding shakeup carried out by the …


Florida immigrant advocacy groups are intensifying efforts to help undocumented individuals navigate encounters with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. (David Peinado/Pexels)

Social Issues

play sound

Immigrant advocates in Florida are ramping up efforts to help families navigate President Donald Trump's new immigration orders, which have increased …

Social Issues

play sound

The rate of U.S. high school seniors seeking higher education is on the upswing, according to research from Lumina Foundation. Although Hoosier …

Gov. Kathy Hochul's free community college proposal would apply to people pursuing first-time associate degrees for jobs in high-demand fields, including nursing, teaching, technology and engineering. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

New York State is making historic higher education investments. As part of the 2026 budget proposal, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposes free community …

Social Issues

play sound

Gov. Josh Shapiro's proposed state budget includes a significant increase for public education to address Pennsylvania's school funding issues and …

Social Issues

play sound

Alabama nonprofits are coming together to tackle challenges that may threaten their survival, from declining donor support to shifting federal …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021