Dozens of children living apart from their siblings reunited recently for an afternoon filled with fun, family and support.

For 21 years, the annual sibling reunion picnic has brought together siblings involved with the Department of Child Safety who are living in separate placements, such as foster or group homes. The event is a collaboration between DCS, CASA of Pima County, Pima County Juvenile Court, the Foster Care Review Board, AVIVA Children’s Services and other local groups. 

The picnic started in 2004, when it was uncommon for siblings in separate foster homes to have contact with one other. Its purpose is to help maintain important sibling bonds by providing an opportunity for children separated by the foster care system to reconnect and enjoy time together.

Juvenile Court Judge Joan Wagener has been deeply involved with the event since its start. 

“We use this event to call attention to the fact that we need placements that will take siblings,” she told Tucson Spotlight “And if you can’t commit to taking an entire sibling group, then commit to making sure that those siblings who are placed separately have opportunities for ongoing, meaningful contact so they can be with each other, mentor each other and grow up with each other.”

This year, 74 children spent the day running and playing with their siblings, participating in activities including face painting, glitter tattoos and birdhouse painting.

Kids played basketball and volleyball, while first responders from local sheriff’s and fire departments handed out prizes, let them try on uniforms and helped them practice using fire hoses.

The involvement of first responders is impactful because it lets them interact with children in a fun, relaxed setting. 

“The first responders relish the opportunity to come and interact with children in that way, because they recognize that a lot of times, the first and maybe only interaction they have with a child is in the midst of a crisis when they’re scared and upset,” she said. “They want to let them know that they’re here to help.”

Another special opportunity at each year’s picnic is family portraits taken by a professional photographer.

For many of these children, it’s a rare opportunity to capture these kinds of moments with their siblings. A photographer who has volunteered at the event for years was on-hand to take portraits, with a local law firm creating custom picture frames for each child to take home.

Additionally, the children are given digital cameras to document the day and their photos are developed into personalized photo albums that they’re also able to take home. 

Cristina Greenberg, who works for the nonprofit AVIVA, said the event is an uplifting but emotional experience. AVIVA provides therapeutic and support services to children and families.

“It’s beautiful bringing siblings together that have been separated. One young man told me he hadn’t seen his brother since April,” she said. “The collaboration between all of the agencies and the community is huge. There are a lot of partners that work to get this done and it’s cool to see that happen.”

This year, CarePortal donated new bicycles for each child, including helmets, lights and locks.

Wagener emphasized the importance of creating an environment where kids can just be kids, away from the complexity of the system. She said it also serves as a reminder that beyond the challenges of the foster care system, every child deserves the chance to create good memories and meaningful connections with their siblings. 

“You want them to have fun, you want them to not feel like they’re always involved in the system, because there’s so much of that system talk and therapy,” she said. “We just need opportunities to hang out and have fun together too.”

Isabela Gamez is a University of Arizona alum and Spotlight reporter. Contact her at gamezi@arizona.edu.

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