Families planning to attend Raising Arizona Kids magazine’s 16th annual Camp Fair AZ on Saturday, March 2, are invited to bring new toys or books or gently used children’s clothing to leave at the Arizona Helping Hands donation truck, which will be stationed just outside the entrance to the Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center.
Camp Fair AZ runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the all-abilities fitness center, centrally located at 5031 E. Washington St. in Phoenix. More than 70 summer camps will be on hand to answer your questions and, in some cases, offer on-the-sport early sign-up discounts.
Arizona Helping Hands is a 20-year-old Phoenix nonprofit that works to meet the needs of foster children and families. “We support the families so they can focus on helping the kids,” says Dan Shufelt, president and CEO of Arizona Helping Hands.
This month, “we are in great need of new toys and gifts for 6- to 12-year-old boys and girls, and full-sized baby toiletry items such as tear-less shampoo, baby wash, baby wash cloths, toothpaste says Sherie Siegel, vice president of Arizona Helping Hands.
New toys and books often go to the Birthday Dreams program. “We also need gift cards to support our Teen Birthday program,” Siegel says. Gift cards from Amazon.com, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target, Harkins Theatres, Ulta and Walmart re particularly popular with teens.
At the center’s new, north Phoenix headquarters, the Diane & Bruce Halle Foster Family Resource Center, donations are sorted by age, clothing is sorted by size and all items are shelved neatly in a warehouse that serves as both a donation drop-off site and a “shopping” center for families that need help providing needed items for foster children in their care.
If you can’t make it to Camp Fair AZ, you can always drop off donations at Arizona Helping Hands. The center is located at 3110 E. Thunderbird Road #100, Phoenix. Pull around to the back loading area during regular business hours.
You can also designate your Arizona Foster Care Tax Credit to Arizona Helping Hands. And volunteers are always welcome and needed to help in the warehouse, sort clothing, create birthday packages, assemble bikes and more.
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