Who We Serve

Kids in Focus gives kids ages 10-18 years, who come from extremely underprivileged backgrounds, a chance to see themselves and their world in a new way. These kids have experienced some form of adversity such as abuse, neglect, poverty, homelessness, death, or critical medical conditions. These traumas can cause them to disconnect from their environments, the people around them, and inevitably, themselves. They can find it difficult to trust and form strong relationships with caring, responsible adults. Their circumstances can stunt emotional growth and self-awareness.

Kids in Focus is honored to play a part in the healing process by providing kids with caring adult volunteers, who model positive methods of communication. The kids have the opportunity to channel their emotions through the expressive art of photography, to learn creative problem solving and build trust working with others.

Kids in Focus connects with youth through partner organizations serving those in need. Our partners include:

• Arizona Friends of Foster Children (providing children in foster care with awards for opportunities that are not funded by government allowances)

• Arizona Homeless Education Program (government program ensuring all children experiencing homelessness have access to public education)

• Arizona Autism Charter Schools (tuition-free, public charter school focused on the educational needs of children with autism)

• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley (creating equity and opportunity for youth through academic, social, and workforce opportunities)

• Chauncey Ranch (camp providing pathways to learning for underserved youth, including foster children from throughout the State of Arizona)

• Children First Leadership Academy (a school serving students living at or below the poverty line, the majority of whom are homeless)

• Esperanza Community School (serving the special needs of students that are not otherwise being met in traditional educational settings)

• Homeward Bound (creating pathways out of poverty and toward self-sufficiency for homeless families)

• Hope & A Future (a foster care organization that provides programming to current foster kids)

• OJC Foster Kids (equipping foster and at-risk youth by providing tools, resources, and positive role models to succeed and excel in every area of life)

• Phoenix Children’s Hospital (Camp Rainbow serving children with cancer & blood disorders)

• Phoenix College: Course Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) (National Science Foundation funded educational interventions to increase interest, retention, and persistence in STEM courses for predominantly Hispanic serving institutions)

• Phoenix Union High School (family & community engagement supporting the academic, social, emotional, and behavioral needs of PXU students)

• Sequoia Deaf School (a school serving deaf students living at or below poverty line)

• Stepping Stones of Hope (a grief processing organization that provides programs for children and families who have suffered a death loss)

Our list of partner agencies is growing to include shelters, family resource centers, and other youth services and school districts.

Our Grads in Focus program, for KIF alumni students, partners with Animals with Heart, Apple, Arizona Science Center, Jerry Colangelo Basketball Classic, Children’s Museum of Phoenix, The Phoenix Mercury, Mutoh America, and OdySea Aquarium, We are in process of creating partnerships with Musical Instrument Museum and UMOM New Day Centers.