The Good Stuff in Child Welfare
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Our team at the Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice, & Research recognizes that between the all too frequent and grim child welfare stories that make us teary-eyed, clenched-fisted, and faint-hearted, there are inspiring accomplishments and heartening endeavors taking place all over this country at every level of practice. To elevate and promote these encouraging stories, we are pleased to bring you this monthly newsletter emphasizing news stories only about “The Good Stuff” from the broad field of child welfare. This month, the stories we highlight from around the nation show creativity, collaboration, and partnership in the development of community-based programming to promote youth success. We hope this read gives you a few moments of hopefulness and a sense of possibility.
If there's something you'd like to see here, shoot us an email. Know someone who could use a little Good Stuff in Child Welfare? Send them a copy! We hope you love it as much as we do.
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Broomfield House for Aged-Out Foster Kids is a Model for Solving Colorado’s Youth Homelessness Crisis |
Lutheran Church of Hope in Broomfield, CO, is finally opening the doors to Anchor House – a building with eight studio apartments for young adults who have aged out of foster care. Through a fundraising campaign and a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Anchor House was built on the Church campus, then leased for $10 for 50 years to a non-profit to oversee the project. Anchor House will accept housing vouchers for rent, and through the support of Lutheran Family Services, the residents (youth ages 18-24) will receive case management and supportive services while residing in the apartments for 12-18 months. The organizers hope that the innovative model can be copied in communities across Colorado.
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Regional Collaboration is Helping Youth from Foster Care Attend College |
A new pilot program in Texas, the Bexar County Fostering Educational Success project (BCFES), is funding campus-based support programs at three universities in addition to pre-college programming for students with foster care experience. Peggy Eighmy, the first lady of the University of Texas at San Antonio, took the unique opportunity to use the platform of the President’s Office and her role as First Lady to leverage her experience working in child welfare and as a CASA to build this collaboration improving educational outcomes for foster alumni. Funded by the Texas Legislature, the BCFES is a partnership between UTSA, Texas A&M University-San Antonio (A&M-SA), the Alamo Colleges District (ACD), Bexar County Children's Court and Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA). To date, nearly 400 college students and youth still in foster care have received targeted support.
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'Changed My Life': Former Mississippi Foster Teen on Road to Success |
Ice & Vice is a new ice cream and coffee shop in Mississippi that prioritizes hiring young people in the foster care system. Owners Sarah Dale and Justin Harmon, already longtime foster parents, aim to support older youth in foster care through jobs and teaching life skills. Through a transportation scholarship, Ice & Vice provided a car to employee and first scholarship winner Sirayah Miller. Miller works at the ice cream shop while attending college to pursue a degree in social work. Miller hopes to someday help others in the foster care system. She said, “Kids that go through the system and experience what I’ve experienced, I don’t want nobody to ever experience that. I want to give back to the community.”
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Program Brings Stability to College Student |
Julia Harvey is a 20 year old student at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts. She also holds two jobs and volunteers at Black Feather Horse Rescue. Harvey credits LifeSet – a program to bring stability to the lives of young adults, many of whom are transitioning out of foster care – with helping to build her confidence and securing housing and continued education. With the support of her clinical specialist, Harvey now plans to get her master’s degree after graduating. “My ultimate big goal is to have a therapeutic farm myself, rescue horses and benefit people struggling with mental health issues and disabilities,” Harvey said.
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Youth Drop-In Center Opens in North Philly |
A drop-in community center serving some of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable teens and young adults opened in North Philadelphia this August. Quinzelle Bethea El, who previously worked at an emergency shelter for young people leaving foster care, founded the center along with Marion Campbell, the executive director of a nonprofit that runs a community center. Cornerstone’s services such as counseling, art and music classes, and employment and housing services have been tailored to address the needs of youth who are homeless or transitioning out of the foster care system. The Cornerstone will provide a safe place to gather, and will allow young people the opportunity to shower, eat a meal or use a computer.
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Pandemic Aid Available for Former Foster Youth in WA |
Many states are nearing the deadline for current and former foster youth to apply for cash assistance as part of a federal pandemic aid package. Some states are no longer accepting applicants. Washington State is closing applications on September 24th, 2021 and eligible youth are encouraged to apply to obtain their share (up to $1,000) of a $1.65 million package to ensure that foster care alumni stay housed, get food that they need, maintain going to school, or have their other needs met. Applicants must have been in foster care after their 15th birthday (does not have to have been in WA) and currently be between the ages of 23 and 26. More information is available here.
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The Field Center team would like to thank the staff who brought this newsletter together and their contributions in providing readers with this uplifting content. Many thanks to our Program Manager Sarah Wasch for editing and our Administrative Coordinator Felicia Saunders for handling design and distribution. Special thanks to our Managing Faculty Director, Dr. Johanna Greeson for her idea to curate the “good news stories” happening in child welfare! |
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