Giving the Gift of Education and Career Dreams this Christmas
Did you know 3% of foster youth earn a college degree by the age of 26, compared to 30% of their peers who are not in foster care? (Source: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago)
That is a large gap considering there are about 369,000 children in foster care in the United States, according to the 2022 Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting system (AFCARS). And while it’s hard to know the exact number because it changes all the time (some children stay in foster care for a short time, while others are there for years), experts say the number of youth in foster care in the U.S. has remained relatively stable over the past 10 years, staying between 396,000 in 2013 and reaching as high as 437,000 in 2017-18 (Source: The Christian Alliance for Orphans).
According to the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, there are about 4,000 children in foster care, a greater issue currently affecting foster kids in the state is the urgent need for more foster parents. According to a July 2024 report from WHLT TV, there were only 2,000 licenses for foster homes in the state.
Another staggering statistic is the percentage of foster care youth who end up homeless-about 25-33% of youth and young adults experiencing homelessness had a history of foster care, in fact many youth in foster care consider their experience in foster care as the beginning of their homelessness (Source: Youth.gov).
Every year an estimated 20,000 youth exit the foster care system. Children placed in foster care are provided for by the state until they reach 18 or 21, depending on the state. Then they are considered “aged out.”
National statistics report that 25% are immediately homeless, 70% enter the criminal justice system within five years, and 70% remain unemployed (Source: Sunnybrook 2023 Impact Report).
When a child ages out with little to no support, they are vulnerable and more susceptible to getting involved with drugs, spending time in jail or getting involved in human trafficking.
However, when provided with financial support and mentoring, foster youth are 50% more likely to pursue and complete higher education. (Source: The Foster Care to College Act)
At Sunnybrook we work to make a difference, one life at a time and that includes preparing youth to live independently.
Sunnybrook offers support for foster families, help transitional age youth aged 14-18 who have exited the foster care system, and provide supervised independent living for older youth aged 18-21.
Our programs offer support for youth to graduate from high school or obtain their GED, learn extensive life skills, develop financial readiness, get a driver’s license and find either part time or full-time jobs.
The youth at Sunnybrook are 17 times more likely to purchase their first car and 15 times more likely to receive their driver’s license compared to less than 5% of youth in foster care nationally.
At Sunnybrook we know the value in putting the proper supports and education in place that lead to success.
Residents are three times more likely to find a job and five times more likely to get financial training through programs at Sunnybrook than in other programs, meaning a greater chance of success.
You can help those numbers improve with a donation this Christmas season to Sunnybrook.
Your donation can be the ultimate gift of hope for local youth as they work to better their lives. And thanks to the Mississippi Children’s Promise Act, you can receive a Dollar-for-Dollar State tax credit...you get every dollar you donate back by lowering your Mississippi tax by the same amount!
Tax Credit information and 2024 application: Credits Available for Contributions to Eligible Transitional Housing Organizations (ETHO) | DOR
