There are approximately 7,600 children in Arizona foster care. The largest ethnic group in Arizona’s foster care system are Hispanic youth, according to a July report from the Arizona Department of Child Safety. An Arizona nonprofit is aiming to help Hispanic youth stay connected with their culture.
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation funds activities for foster children to take Folklorico dance classes and rent clothing that can be used for quinceañeras.
The program is aimed at the 2,400 Hispanic children in foster care. CEO Luis De La Cruz said it is important for foster youth to feel culturally connected.
"A lot of the time kinship or family members can’t take on kids of the financial burden. And so we try to remove that to some extent by supporting those that experience foster care," he said
De La Cruz also said the organization ensures that children still end up in a family based setting even if it isn’t a foster home.
