About us
EpekAZ Foundation is a new Arizona nonprofit started by people who believe no young person should face adulthood alone or unprepared because they grew up in foster care.
Supporting God’s children as they prepare for what comes next.
EpekAZ Foundation was created with a simple belief:
God’s children deserve more than being told how to prepare for adulthood. They deserve opportunities to experience it.
We work with young people who are in or have experienced foster care, including those living in group and transitional living homes and those preparing to age out of the foster care system.
Through hands-on activities and real-world experiences, we bring adulting to life, giving young people opportunities to practice independence before independence is expected of them.
EpekAZ grew from more than two years of working directly with youth in foster care and seeing their incredible potential and the gaps that still existed.
When my own professional journey unexpectedly changed, I kept coming back to the same thought.
Maybe God wasn’t asking me to find what was next.
Maybe He was asking me to build it.
And that is where EpekAZ began.
Kirsten (Keke) Ewing
EpekAZ was inspired by the Greek word epekteinomai (ἐπεκτείνομαι), meaning to stretch or reach forward. The word appears in Philippians 3:13.
Epek + AZ = EpekAZ
Reaching Forward in Arizona
Our name reminds us that where someone has been does not have to determine where they are going.
“…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.”
Paul’s words remind us to keep reaching toward what lies ahead. For us, Reach Forward means a future full of possibilities leaving the past in the past.
We practice, not just teach.
Our programs create hands-on opportunities where young people can experience real life in a supportive environment. We meet them where they are, make room for questions and mistakes, introduce them to new possibilities, and encourage them to discover their own path forward.
Our Christian faith is at the heart of why EpekAZ exists and how we serve. We believe every child has God-given value, potential, and purpose. We do not expect every young person we serve to share our beliefs. We simply want them to experience what our faith calls us to demonstrate.
EpekAZ is beginning intentionally, building relationships, creating hands-on programs, connecting with community partners, and most importantly, listening to the young people we serve.
As we grow, success won’t simply mean offering more programs. It will mean creating more opportunities, more first experiences, more connections, more adults willing to show up, and more young people stepping into adulthood believing they are capable of what comes next.
We will never share identifiable photos or stories of young people in care without proper consent. Photos on this site may be stock, from the founders, or volunteers and events.