Building Forever Families: From Uncertainty to Unbreakable Bonds
From birth, sisters Arianna and Azee lived without stability or protection. Exposed to methamphetamine in utero and housed with family members struggling with addiction, neither received the care they needed. By the time they entered foster care, 5-year-old Arianna and 18-month-old Azee’s future was uncertain — until husbands Brodie and Jonathan received a call that would change all of their lives.
“We got a call that these girls needed a home,” Brodie said. “It was all hands on deck.”
Brodie and Jonathan had always wanted to be parents and spent years researching adoption. Finding an agency that was inclusive and supportive was important to them, and once they connected with Child Crisis Arizona, they knew they found the right fit.
Sisters Arianna and Azee enjoy family fun on vacation.
The girls’ challenges were clear from the start. Arianna had 10 cavities and needed multiple crowns, while Azee’s bowed legs were due to severe vitamin D deficiency. With the guidance of Child Crisis Arizona, Brodie and Jonathan helped the girls heal physically, emotionally and mentally.
For nearly five decades, Child Crisis Arizona has been a lifeline for vulnerable children and families, preventing child abuse and neglect through education, intervention and advocacy.
“At the heart of our mission is the belief that every child deserves a safe and loving home,” says Torrie Taj, CEO of Child Crisis Arizona.
For two years, they navigated the complexities of foster care, forming an unbreakable family bond. When adoption day arrived, it was a moment of overwhelming joy.
“The girls are permanent. They know it,” Jonathan said. “There’s no more fear of, ‘Am I going to be moved again?’ Now, I don’t think they even remember a time when we weren’t their dads. We’re a family.”
Enterprise Bank & Trust provides Child Crisis Arizona with financial guidance and philanthropic support. In addition to sponsoring Child Crisis Arizona’s annual gala, Enterprise provided the organization with key funding, including New Markets Tax Credit, a creative lending option for eligible businesses and organizations in underserved communities, and a loan to help build the nonprofit’s new $30 million headquarters.
“Our relationship with Enterprise has grown beyond banking,” Torrie says. “Their support has allowed us to focus on what matters most — growing our organization to serve as many children and families as possible.”
Jeff Friesen, President of Enterprise’s West Region, serves on Child Crisis Arizona’s foundation board and has been involved with the organization for more than six years. Jeff has held various leadership positions, including finance chair, governance chair, vice chair and chairman of the board.
Brian Crisp, Arizona Regional President at Enterprise, recently joined the organization’s board.
“Our job on the board is to support Child Crisis Arizona so they can continue educating parents and strengthening families,” Brian says. “Their mission is life-changing, and we are honored to help ensure that every child has the opportunity to grow up in a stable and loving home.”
In September 2024, Child Crisis Arizona celebrated the grand opening of its new facility, a milestone in its efforts to expand resources, education and advocacy for children and families in crisis.
Looking back on their journey, Brodie reflected on how far their daughters had come. “You can see it in them — the way they laugh, the way they play, the way they trust. They finally know they are safe, and they are so, so loved.”
