Michele Wright firmly believes that there are some things you must do in person, and learning about becoming a foster parent is one of them
“I’m wouldn’t buy a car online. I’m not going to sign up to be a mom online: That is the most scary human thing you can do. It is a really big step, so I am not going to watch some videos and say, ‘Yeah, I’m in.’ That is why in-person orientations and information gathering is so important,” said Wright, who is doing her part with her wife, Michele Bennett, to facilitate real-time orientations after they were discontinued during COVID.
The adoptive — and former foster — parents, who co-founded the nonprofit Spreading Threads Clothing Bank, are teaming up with The Foster and Adoptive Council of Tucson (https://fact-tucson.squarespace.com/) to host a Foster Care Recruitment and Resource Fair at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 29 at Spreading Threads Clothing Bank, 2945 N. Flowing Wells Rd.
Wright said the meeting comes at a critical time, with just 1,851 homes currently licensed for foster care — down from 3,450 in 2021 — statewide, according to the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
“This is the lowest I have ever seen it. We desperately need more licensed foster care. My dream has been to have a building to bring all these people together — meaning DCS and different agencies, and all the foster care supports like us (at Spreading Threads), along with current and former foster parents—so prospective foster parents can go around the room and talk to everyone and ask, ‘What you would be afraid of?’ and ‘What you would do differently?’ Prospective foster parents can have real human interactions and see everyone who makes up the support community,” Wright said.
That dream has become a reality due to a $70,884 Opportunity Grant from Angel Charity for Children to Spreading Threads, which provides free clothing for children in foster and kinship care and group homes. Funds from the grant have been used to create a multipurpose outdoor space at the Spreading Threads warehouse at 2945 N. Flowing Wells Rd. The recently-completed renovation includes paved grounds; a new fence with security gates; a storage shed; picnic tables and a BBQ; and a playground and sports equipment.
“Now we have a beautiful eight-foot corrugated metal fence with a security gate in the front and a beautiful outdoor space. We wanted it to look nice. I am a big believer that space is a message and if we build a beautiful space for these kids, it speaks to what we believe they are worth. It is the same way I feel about our clothes,” Wright said.
The outdoor area is designed to complement the Spreading Threads warehouse, which Wright described as “a nice neutral, flexible space that can do all kinds of cool things.” The warehouse has hosted meetings of foster parent support groups and nonprofits such as Free Arts of Arizona, which provides trauma-informed art therapy for kids in foster care. Wright looks forward to expanding the network of nonprofits who benefit from sharing the space while also building the profile of Spreading Threads, which serves close to 3,500 kids annually.
“We give out more than 100 packs of brand new socks every month, at minimum, and everything is so expensive. Tariffs are really hurting us little nonprofits. I buy new clothes and shoes for the kids and not only is there less on sale, but what is costs twice as much as it did a year ago. That is a huge challenge for us moving forward,” Wright said.
She emphasized that Spreading Threads is a key support for foster and kinship placements (friends or extended family, such as aunts, uncles and grandparents), many of whom are unprepared with clothing and basic needs since they often receive children on emergency notice.
Wright said she is immensely grateful to Angel Charity not only for making the renovation of their space possible, but also for helping to raise awareness about the needs within the foster care community.
“We never could have done any of this without Angel Charity. It has been a dream of mine for many years to fully offer my space to the foster care community with no strings attached, and they have allowed us to watch our dream come true while meanwhile doing what we are supposed to do, which is getting kids the clothes they need,” she said.
Ultimately, Wright said that the funds provided by Angel Charity are rebuilding connections that are at the core of compassion, community and humanity.
“It is a recapturing of our humanity that we lost over the last several years when we were siloed with COVID, and with the political climate, we need this more than ever. I want to tear down the walls: We are all people and this is my big human melting pot,” Wright said.
