Why do we support foster care?

If you're anything like we were, you know that the situation for foster youth is bad - but you don't know just how desperate the situation can be. 

Here are a few statistics about the current situation of foster care in the U.S. These statistics are from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System

- As of September 30th, 2020 there are 407,493 children in the U.S. Foster care system

- 31% of these youth have been in the foster care system for greater than 2 years. 

- 64% of the youth experienced neglect in their original homes

- 35% have been removed from their home as a result of drug abuse

- 13% were removed from their home because of physical abuse

- 4% were removed from their home because of sexual abuse. 

The goal of the foster care system is - first and foremost - to support both the children with the end goal of reunification of the children with the parents. As of the date of these statistics publishing, this occurs about 48% of the time. 

The remainder of the children may live with other relatives, be adopted, emancipated, etc. 

Though the percentage of foster children who "age out" of the system is thankfully small, the path for them is exceedingly difficult. This is exemplified by the following - 50% of people struggling with homelessness are former foster youth. 

Most heartbreaking, to me, is that these youth are virtually invisible to us as a society. They lack the family members and support system that so many of us take for granted. When they leave the foster system, they are forced to fend for themselves without this support system. 

This is forced upon a vulnerable population who experience:

- PTSD (21.5%) (This is 5x higher than the rate in the general population)

- Major Depressive Episodes (15.3%)

- Modified Social Phobia (11.9%)

- Panic Disorder (11.4%)

- Generalized Anxiety Disorder (9.4%)

- Alcohol Dependence (3.7%)

- Drug Dependence (3.9%)

- Bulimia (2.9%). 

We ask too much. 

This is why we choose to support A Sense Of Home. 

They are creating first-ever homes for the youths who age out of the foster care system, and provide them with donated furniture and home goods. 

If you have more questions about this organization, we strongly encourage you to visit their website and consider supporting them directly. Click here to learn more. 

The decision to support foster care comes from my experience watching my sister, Taylor, and her husband go through the process of becoming foster parents. I have watched them struggle with both the need for more foster parents, and their inability to do more for the youth who are aging out of the system. 

Even if you choose not to support us and our efforts, we sincerely hope that you will learn more about the foster care system. Their efforts are continuous, and there is always a need for support from the community.