With Christmas just a few days away, some Maricopa County judges are making holiday wishes come true for young adults in Arizona’s foster care system.
The group of judges goes by R.O.B.E.S., which stands for Reaching Out and Building Engagement Through Service.
“The whole point of the organization is to give our judges opportunities to connect with the community," said Elizabeth Bingert, a commissioner at the Maricopa County Superior Court.
Bingert said this year, R.O.B.E.S teamed up with the Department of Child Safety’s Giving Tree program, having judges pull tags off a tree with a list of items requested by foster youths. In this case, they’re supporting those ages 18 to 21 who were not adopted or reunited with family members and have voluntarily chosen to remain in care after aging out of the system.
“At that age, we expect them to act and function as adults, but they don’t have that kind of family support that many of us take for granted," Bingert said. "That's why the Giving Tree is such an awesome way to remind them that they matter [and] that they do have support."
Bingert said they helped more than 100 young people get basic needs like clothing and cleaning supplies as well as big gifts like bicycles. The court partnered with Recycle Your Bicycle to ensure that all 24 who wished for a bike rode home with one.
Bingert said for many of them, a bicycle is more than just a gift — it’s a vital means of transportation to work or school.
