More Than a Bed, a Northside nonprofit that provides essentials like clothing, toys and beds to foster and adoptive families, is expanding its mission with a new enrichment center expected to open later this year.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Northside non-profit offers 'More Than A Bed' to foster, adoptive families
The center will offer after-school programs focused on building confidence and life skills for children in foster and adoptive families.
"We need to prepare them for adulthood. We need to get them ready to go out there and be with the world," Grace Stocksdale, founder and executive director of More Than a Bed, said.
Programming is expected to include art and cooking classes, taekwondo and trauma-informed storytelling.
"If we can connect with these kiddos, give them a community, give them a place where they feel safe and they want to learn, we can help them long-term," Deborah Szelewski, program manager at More Than a Bed, said.
Szelewski says the variety of activities is intentional.
"If we put them in taekwondo, they are going to build their self-confidence. They are going to become well more aware of what their body is trying to tell them. If we put them in art, we give them a safe place to be able to express all the big feelings that they are feeling that otherwise they don't have a way to," Szelewski said.
Although the center has not yet opened, many of the programs are already taking place through partnerships across Tucson. All activities will be offered at no cost to families.
"We are here to teach the children skills, to give them integrity, to give them something that they can look forward to, something that they, that will enrich their lives," Szelewski said.
The nonprofit is still looking for volunteers willing to teach classes at the center.
More Than A Bed is located at 3637 N. 1st Ave.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
