May is National Foster Care Month, so it’s a perfect time to shed some light on some of the key current needs. One of the biggest needs right now is supportive, loving families for teenagers. Many people don’t know that teenagers in foster care face severe challenges the day they turn 18.
- In Texas, over 1,000 teenagers age out of foster care every year
- One in five of these youth will become homeless instantly after turning 18
- By age 26, less than 4% earn a college degree
- Only half will obtain employment by 24
- Over 70 percent of female foster youth will become pregnant by 21
- One in four former foster youth will experience PTSD
These youth deserve better. Through no fault of their own, they have faced extreme trauma. Some have been in the foster care system for most of their lives and, while they may need help learning to trust again, they have a lot of love to give. The time to change the course of these teenagers’ lives is now.
You can make a lasting difference for youth in foster care.
Help us give hope to over 1,000 teens in Texas who are close to aging out.
How you can help
- Learn more about opening your home to a teenager in need by being a Resource Parent. Resource parents provide stable, loving environments for these teenagers while setting them up for success in adulthood. Register for our next virtual information session on May 6 or June 2, 2021.
- Consider adopting a teenager. If you are thinking of adopting, consider the life-changing impact you could have on a teen. Read the Wright Family’s adoption story to see what this positive difference can look like.
- Make a Donation. With your help, we can place more children in safe and nurturing permanent families so they finally experience the love and security they deserve. Visit this page to contribute.
How your generous gift will impact teens and families in need
- $2,500 provides for the recruitment, preparation, and training needed for one potential resource/foster/adoptive family
- $1,000 provides on average one month of high-quality foster care services for a child in need
- $500 provides one home study for a prospective foster or adoptive family
- $250 provides one child and one parent a weekend therapeutic camp
- $100 provides one day of outpatient treatment for an adoptive child
With your support, we can transform the lives of teenagers in need of safe, loving families!