I believe in us.
By Claire Louge
I believe the people of Arizona can create a state in which all families can thrive.

I’m not just saying that. I actually believe this, and I’ll tell you why.
For the past couple of months, I’ve been holding discussions with community groups across Arizona, as part of a project called “Lean On Me AZ.” The project is funded by Casey Family Programs, and through it, we’re generating tools and messages to help Arizonans like you and me take action to support families. The beginnings of this idea can be found in this blog post.

In the Lean On Me AZ discussion groups, we ask people to speak from their perspective as a member of their community: as parents, caregivers, neighbors, and citizens. Then, we open a discussion revolving around one big question: How can members of the community help strengthen families? We ask participants for specific actions, examples, and stories.

Their answers give me hope.