he
baby that Joy and Jim Jenkins first adopted was much like numerous babies who will be born this year with HIV
in the U.S. as well as through out the globe. The Jenkins
didn’t know just over a year later he would test negative for HIV and that
Children With AIDS Project of America would be
founded and gaining strength with the help of people like you.
Now CWA offers a variety of services for children infected/affected by AIDS or drug exposed infants who will require foster or adoptive families. CWA works to create adoptive, foster, family centered care programs that are both effective and compassionate.
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| The aim of the Children With AIDS Project of America (CWA) is to transform the silence that surrounds HIV infected, affected children and AIDS orphans into an audible sound. This sound must be amplified until the needs are met for all children in the nation and globally affected by the AIDS epidemic. |
Who We Are and What We Do:
[The Nature of
Our Service] [CWA Project
Results] [Eligibility
Criteria]
[Who Are We Looking
For?] [Links to Adoption and
Foster Care Sites]
Jim Jenkins - 4/14/1938 to 9/24/2012
Jim Jenkins passed away early on September 24th after a long battle with serious heart problems, diabetes, and multiple myeloma cancer. Children With AIDS Project was Jim's passion for the last 24 years and he has touched the lives of many children and families with his firm belief that all children deserve a loving, permanent home. He worked tirelessly bringing families and children together, and was responsible for at least 100 adoptions. Many times he didn't hear back after he passed the names of prospective parents to social workers all over the United States.
He was a frequent speaker for local and national organizations, helping them understand the needs of these children and educating many people on how a baby testing positive to HIV can mean it is only the mother's antibodies in the baby. Most of the time they can flush out those antibodies and become productive, healthy adults.
His life before CWA was filled with many memorable experiences including being a TV personality as a teenager in Erie, PA, serving in the Army during the Berlin Crisis, starting Continental Bank in Phoenix before he opened Professional Data Processing Services (the first computer service bureau in Arizona) and writing accounting software for the restaurant and hospitality industry and the first ticketing software for the Olympics, which became the software for Ticketmaster. He had a booking agency in Carmel for the entertainment industry. He came back to Phoenix and started CWA because of the entrance of his first HIV baby into his family.
One of the projects that Jim started was the Tree of Life Gallery in central Phoenix. It was probably the highlight of his last years. The proceeds went to two AIDS orphanages in Africa - one in Tanzania for putting a roof on the dormitory for the staff and one in South Africa to refurbish a cottage for the first children to be taken in.
A memorial service will be held on October 18th at 7:00 p.m. at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 715 W. Southern Ave, Tempe, AZ 85282. Donations may be made to Children with AIDS at PO Box 23778, Tempe, AZ 85285-3778 or to Paypal using jimjenkins@aidskids.org for the account name. Donations may also be made to Open Arms Orphanage in South Africa that had been a recipient of a donation that came from Tree of Life Gallery.
See Slideshow from Memorial Service October 18th - click here (it will take several minutes to download and then will open a PDF file).
Special Areas
Read Our
Story - Then
The Jenkins' adoption of the two beautiful
HIV+ babies that grew into their lives' true calling. The story of
the founders of CWA.
Read Our
Story - Now
A VERY Special
Thanks
Over the years there have been many organizations and folks
that have assisted the Children With AIDS Project of America. We invite
you to visit this page to see who these great organizations and folks are.
Main Areas
Yes,
I Want To Adopt A Child!
We have an URGENT NEED
FOR ADOPTIVE AND FOSTER parents to provide loving caring homes for
HIV infected, affected or orphaned children. At the same time we urge you to
consider adopting any of the 134,000 available children who are free for
adoption. They are children of all ages, races and backgrounds who also desire a
loving, caring permanent home. Please use this form
to submit your interest as well as information about you and your family to us.
We will respond back to you and then forward your information to appropriate
agencies when requested.
We're in
the news!
Recent activities of CWA that have made the news
locally and nationally, including TV, newspapers, and magazines.
A
Child Is Waiting...
Dave Thomas,
Founder of Wendy's, has produced a book titled
"A Child Is Waiting: A Beginners Guide to Adoption".
This book answers most of the questions regarding the adoption process.
Thomas, was adopted himself is the foremost advocate to seek loving,
caring, permanent homes for the 110,000 children who are awaiting to be
adopted.
Kids Can Help, Too!
Read some of the stories where kids have made substantial contributions to help
other kids who have been affected by AIDS. They have made a significant
difference because of their compassion and are a sign of hope for kids
everywhere.
CWA
Founder Honored
Jim Jenkins was one of the nine recipients of the 1999
Volunteer of the Year by The Hon Kachina Volunteer Awards Program. Presented in Phoenix, Arizona
annually since 1977. The Hon Kachina Volunteer Award program is designed
to both recognize the achievement of outstanding Arizona volunteers to and
increase public awareness.
