HOSTING OPPORTUNITY

Did you know that roughly 20% of ALA students live outside the Phoenix area? Many of you are familiar with ALA Housing because you ARE an out-of-town family, or you already participate as a host family. But for all who aren’t yet in the know, allow us to introduce you to the ALA Housing Program, why it’s important, and how you can help!

Since the start of Arizona Lutheran Academy, WELS churches from across the state have supported ALA as an area Lutheran High School — not just those in the Phoenix metro area.

These federation churches support ALA financially, but members also want to send their kids to be students. This does not seem like a natural fit since ALA has never had dorms! However, for decades now, the housing program has been a blessing to families from Tucson to San Carlos to the White Mountains to even Nevada because what IS a natural fit is for your child to be in a Christian home – often with other ALA students in the family. Countless families have opened their doors (and beds and living rooms and dinner tables!) to out-of-town students and made them part of their own family so another child had the opportunity to grow at ALA.

Are you interested in joining the ranks? Share your interest level on this form.

Deciding to host a housing student can be a tough decision. It does mean opening your home to a teen almost full time. Families who currently have students at ALA generally are a fantastic fit. You are already in the mode of class/sports schedules, school lunches, homework, and attending ALA activities.

It can be a blessing for your child as well as the housing student. Often life-long friendships are created when kids become housing siblings! You don’t need to have a certain size house or full extra bedroom or extra-large food budget to house a student. What you need is the heart to share ALA with one more child.

Before you convince yourself you can’t host,

• pray about it for a week or two
• talk to families who have hosted
• ask your kids if they know housing students, and what it’s like to live with a family so they can attend ALA.
• have conversations with the housing coordinators and ask questions!

God has an amazing way of working out the details!

Ready? Got questions? Maybe? Share your interest level on this form.

If your heart is in to help the ALA Housing Program, but you’re wondering about logistics, here are some details to assist in making a final decision. There are two types of housing — International and Domestic. The following are basics for “domestic” students — the majority of whom live 1.5 – 4 hours from ALA.

• Students travel home most weekends: they are with you Monday after school through Friday before school. There may be circumstances that require them to stay some weekends during the year.
• Supply meals for the timeframe above, including food for them to make school lunches.
• Provide a bed and space for clothing and personal items.
• Stock basic toiletries -shampoo, soap, lotion, toothpaste, q-tips, basic meds, etc.
• Provide transportation to/from ALA, including for extracurriculars.

Families of housing students pay a housing stipend in their tuition package which goes to the host family. ALA cycles that money to you monthly. The current rate is $240/student/month.

Ready? Got questions? Maybe? Share your interest level on this form.

Learn about International Hosting opportunities here.

Start the conversation! Feel free to contact our housing team:

• Benjy Wells at Wells@ALAcoyotes.org, Domestic Housing Coordinator
• Margy Hartzell at Hartzell@ALAcoyotes.org, Housing Assistant