Foster Club

I spent four years in the foster care system in Las Vegas due to negligence and abuse.  In 2010, I aged out of foster care at age 18 and lost my health insurance.

This is the second of two stories written by FosterClub All-Star interns recounting their experiences discussing federal legislation with policymakers. Read the first story here. Earlier this month, FosterClub All-Stars, a group of foster youth advocates, were joined by Fritz Graham and Jenny Wood, the field representative for Sen.

This is the first of two stories written by FosterClub All Star interns recounting their experiences discussing federal legislation with policymakers. The Family First Act is a hot topic within the foster care community and has caught the attention of advocates nationwide.

Over 10 years starting in 2000, Jasmine, now 23, moved through three foster homes, two group homes, five high schools, and eventually aged out of the foster care system. Jasmine is an alumni of Youth Fostering Change, an engagement program at the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia.

Last month, the Pritzker Foster Care Initiative, which funds a number of child welfare-related non-profits, including my organization, hosted a half-day convening on “Web and Mobile App Solutions for Transition Age Youth.”

Helping foster youth succeed in higher education was the focus of the 2013 Blueprint Conference held in Los Angeles over two days in October. The John Burton Foundation, which manages the  California College Pathways Initiative, produced the sold-out event that brought professionals from 15 states to learn, share and find solutions.

Around 6 a.m. on Jan. 21, three former foster youth bundled up in their warmest clothes and headed to the nation’s capitol to witness the inaugural celebration of President Barack Obama.