Construction of our new Reunion House shelter began in January and is expected to finish by August. When complete, it will have 20 beds, a computer lab, a patio and a basketball court.

Imagine being 14 years old and told by your family that they can no longer afford to house and feed you. You'll have to make your own way. Imagine losing your parents in a car accident and being turned away by one family member after another, leaving you nowhere to go and no one to care for you. These are the realities of the 198 children we housed at the Reunion House last year.

Since 1988, Our Family has operated Reunion House, a 9-bed temporary crisis shelter offering safety and stability to homeless and runaway youth, including youth in the care of Child Protective Services. Most children come to Reunion House with little but the clothes they are wearing. We give them necessities and home-cooked meals, enroll them in school, and reunify them with their families whenever possible. We provide a safe, welcoming home until a permanent placement is arranged, with stays averaging five weeks.

The number of children in Arizona's foster system has grown to more than 14,000, with no sign of slowing. Our Family is the only agency in Tucson contracted by the State for crisis shelter for 12-17 year olds, and we have just 9 beds. As a result, our community's children are being sent to other parts of the state, and even out of Arizona. We are literally giving away our children.

In response to the overwhelming need, Our Family is building a new, 20-bed youth shelter to keep more of Tucson's children safe, off the streets, and in our community. We expect it to be completed by August. Community response has been tremendous. Angel Charity committed the lead gift of $613,754 and the Bruce T. Halle Family Foundation made a leadership gift of $100,000. Other generous donations from throughout the community have narrowed the gap. Now, we need to raise just $300,000 more by June 30 to fully fund construction and first-year operations.

As you hear in the news, Arizona's systems are overwhelmed with record numbers of abandoned, neglected and runaway children. Economic stressors have destabilized families who were just managing to get by. Job loss and foreclosure have led to older children being pushed out of their homes because parents simply can't afford to care for them. State budget cuts have led to group home and shelter closures and fewer foster homes.

Reunion House no longer has sufficient capacity to meet the need for shelter in our community. Our children need us to find a way to provide more help than we can currently offer. Once completed, the new 20-bed shelter will house at least 400 children each year ... children who might otherwise remain in unsafe homes, seek refuge on the streets, or turn to trading sex or drugs to survive.

Our children can't wait. They don't have anyone to count on but us, and they need us to act today.  Please click here to make your gift.