From Brooke Heath, SUU Marketing Communication
CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Southern Utah Pacific Islander Student Association (SUPISA) at Southern Utah University (SUU) is inviting the community to an informational session on Utah’s critical need for foster families. The event, “Needing More Families: A Conversation on Utah’s Foster Care Crisis,” will feature Align Utah and will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Sharwan Smith Student Center Cedar Breaks room. The session is free and open to the public.
SUPISA is hosting this vital conversation in alignment with its commitment to civic engagement, aiming to educate the public on the realities of the foster care system, the challenges facing current foster families, and tangible ways individuals and communities can help fill this critical gap. Utah Foster Care currently reports 1,756 children in the foster care system, but only 822 licensed foster families—the lowest number in 25 years.
“As Pacific Islanders, we deeply value the concept of ‘aiga (Samoan) or ʻohana (Hawaiian) — family,” said Muasita Talafiti Suani, President of the Southern Utah Pacific Islander Student Association. “This initiative is close to our hearts because every child deserves a loving, supportive home. By hosting this event, we hope to inspire our community to take action, whether through fostering, advocacy, or simply spreading awareness about this urgent issue.”
For more information on the event, visit www.alignutah.com or email [email protected] or [email protected].