Mesa-based Child Crisis Arizona has worked to fulfill the needs of vulnerable youths and families for 40 years. Here’s how you can help.

At least 13,537 children in Arizona started the new year away from their parents and homes. The Arizona Department of Child Safety deemed it too unsafe.

Teenagers make up 40% of the state’s child welfare system. And more than 1,200 youths between the ages of 18 and 20 are aging out of the system.

Children are in the child welfare system through no fault of their own, said Torrie Taj, CEO of Child Crisis Arizona.

“And when people are looking to adopt, it’s typically the young ones,” she added. “But it might be great for people to know that families can foster teens and they can even adopt teens, because these are youth whose rights have been severed.”

Source: ‘I try to uplift them’: Arizona nonprofit connects foster children with mentors