PHOENIX (December 13, 2023) -- Superior Court judges, court commissioners and court staff members, in what has become an annual tradition, collected gifts and cash to support holiday wishes submitted by young adults who are aging out of the state’s foster care system.  

 

This year, a record-setting 150 young adults had their wishes sponsored by the judicial officers and support staff from the Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County. Additionally, the judicial officers raised nearly $4,000 to cover the cost of big-ticket wishes submitted by some of the participants.  

 

For the past eight years, the Superior Court in Maricopa County’s Juvenile Department has partnered with the Arizona Department of Child Safety to purchase gifts for young adults who are a part of the DCS Young Adult Program. 

 

The Giving Tree was started to bring attention and support to young adults, ages 18 to 21, who have chosen to remain involved with DCS past their 18th birthday. Many of these young adults do not have family who can care for them; they were not reunited and were not adopted. Oftentimes, they stay in the foster care system because it is the only support they have. 

 

“I am humbled by the overwhelming generosity of our Court community,” said the Hon. Elizabeth Bingert, a court commissioner and member of ROBES (Reaching Out and Building Engagement through Service), a service group comprised of judicial officers with the Superior Court in Maricopa County. “The Giving Tree initiative is a shining example of what can be accomplished when we come together to support those in need.” 

 

Currently, there are more than 1,000 young adults in the DCS program. This is the first year that ROBES has partnered with the Giving Tree drive.  

 

“The Giving Tree is typically a Juvenile Department-focused campaign and to see the support across the Bench has been incredible this year. ROBES played a huge role in ensuring all 150 young adults were sponsored, along with our generous Court community,” said Amy Steemke, who coordinated the drive in the Juvenile Department. 

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