CLEVELAND — When a child becomes an adult and ages out of foster care, what do they do? Where do they go? Who helps them start their new lives?
Organizations like Community of Hope and Bessie’s Angels, non-profits in Cleveland, help these young adults transition into life on their own.
"They’ve been in custody all of their lives, and not necessarily been allowed to make their own decisions. It’s like a collision, because now you want someone, who’s never been taught to make decisions, to make them. I think it’s hard to believe that someone could turn 18 years old and become instantly homeless," says Tonya Perkins of Bessie's Angels.
Typically young adults age out of foster care on their 18th birthday. Many aged-out foster kids are thrust into a world they have no idea how to navigate. It can lead to high unemployment rates, low educational attainment, unintended pregnancies, and homelessness.
According to the National Foster Care Institute, 23,000 children will age out of the U.S. foster care system this year. 20% of them will become instantly homeless. That’s what makes these community organizations so vital for aged-out foster youth who need support.
"All their lives somebody’s been paid to be in their life. It’s been a 9-5. And it hasn’t been sincere. It’s been a job. You’re worth me investing in. I’m investing my money in you because I believe in you and I believe you can succeed and you’re worth saving. That’s so powerful to our young persons because they never had anybody to invest in them," says Reverend Beverly Johnson of the non-profit Community of Hope, which provides vital resources and mentorship to aged out foster youth.
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Editor's Note: The below video is from March 23, 2021