In the days ahead of Christmas, Child Crisis Arizona made the season brighter for more than 600 youth across its early education, Healthy Families, foster care, and adoption programs statewide, as well as children living in its shelters. The nonprofit hosted its first-ever Breakfast with Santa at its Mesa campus, filling the morning with laughter, crafts, and holiday cheer.
The event featured hands-on activities, a live Ballet Folklorico performance, and breakfast provided by Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill and Wildflower Restaurant & Bakery. Each child also met Santa and selected a special gift to take home.
“This event is the evolution of several other programs we have had in place for years, notably our holiday shopping event for teens in foster care and our holiday celebration for families in our foster care program,” says Justin Duran, senior vice president of development & communications at Child Crisis Arizona. “By joining forces, we had the ability to support and delight twice as many youths as in years prior.”
“Child Crisis Arizona has been serving the most vulnerable children and families since 1977, with a mission to prevent abuse and neglect through comprehensive prevention, intervention, and education services,” adds CEO Torrie Taj. “Over the past decade, Child Crisis Arizona has expanded dramatically in scope and impact, touching over 182,000 lives to date.”
In 2024, the organization opened the Center for Child & Family Wellness, a 38,000-square-foot, sustainably built net-zero energy campus offering wraparound services including counseling, early education, parenting classes, foster care and adoption services, and basic needs support. That same year, Child Crisis Arizona acquired Whispering Hope Ranch, expanding its commitment to healing through nature-based therapeutic programming for children of all abilities and backgrounds. With 19 programs and multiple locations statewide, the organization remains a leader in child welfare.
Insider Takeaways
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The Breakfast with Santa marked Child Crisis Arizona’s first combined holiday event of its kind.
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More than 600 youth across multiple programs and shelters were served in one morning.
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The Mesa campus continues to function as a hub for large-scale community gatherings.
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The organization supported more than 15,000 individuals statewide this year.
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Recent expansions underscore Child Crisis Arizona’s growing reach and long-term impact.
For more information, visit childcrisisaz.org.
