Bethany Durham

When she was young, Julie Burris would listen to “The Little Girl” by John Michael Montgomery, a song about a girl in foster care. She’d imagine the impact she could make on that little girl’s life by becoming a foster parent, not knowing this dream would one day come to fruition.

Steven Ewer, a 72-year-old Army veteran, proudly served his country from 1969 until 1971. While he did not deploy to Vietnam, he was on active duty and fully prepared to go if called.

After marrying the love of her life, Katie became pregnant right away. In their first four years of marriage, she and her husband welcomed two boys and two girls.
Following the birth of her fourth child, Katie began experiencing depression due to hormones. Still, she felt there were more children in her future.

Catholic Charities’ Family Preservation programs help strengthen families and build parenting skills to create a safe environment for children. The Department of Child Safety (DCS) refers parents to our Family Connections, Nurturing Parenting, Arizona Families F.I.R.S.T (Families in Recovery Succeeding Together) and SENSE (Substance Exposed Newborn Safe Environment) programs.

Throughout Arizona, it’s not uncommon to see people experiencing homelessness seeking refuge in parks, desert and forest areas, and even along sidewalks. But where do they go when outdoor temperatures become unbearable and even deadly?