EMPOWERING YOUTH FROM FOSTER CARE
WHY IS THERE A NEED?
Youth with experience in foster care often lack the relational support and life skills necessary to transition into happy, healthy, self-sufficient adults.
They disproportionately face homelessness, physical and mental health problems, criminal involvement, low education attainment, and other disadvantages.
Outcomes within two years of aging out of foster care include:
YOUTH FROM FOSTER CARE ARE STATISTICALLY CALIFORNIA’S MOST VULNERABLE DEMOGRAPHIC
50% – 80% of youth involved in sex trafficking have a history in the child welfare system
– Anne Ternus-Bellamy, 2017
4% of former foster youth earn a college degree by age 26, compared to 36% of the general population
– John Burton Advocates for Youth, 2020
Children in foster care are 4 times more likely to have a mental health need than children in the general population
– Sacramento County Children’s Coalition Children’s Report Card, 2023
YOU CAN HELP!
The more healthy relationships a child has, the more likely he will be to recover from trauma and thrive.
Relationships are the agents of change…
– Dr. Bruce D. Perry, 2007
OUR MISSION
To empower youth with experience in foster care to successfully transition into adulthood.
WHAT WE DO
Aging UP uniquely serves Sacramento Region youth who have current or former foster care experience.
Our services are backed by research to provide support that complements and goes beyond what is currently available through government-funded and other local nonprofit programs.
MENTORING
Our main service is to match youth with screened and trained volunteer mentors. This provides a one-to-one relationship with a committed and supportive adult who offers care and consistency during turbulent adolescent years.
RECREATION
During time spent together, Mentoring Matches plan and enjoy enriching activities. Aging UP also organizes Group meetUPs, where Matches enjoy fun group outings. These recreational activities offer youth additional peer support, adult role models and positive experiences.
EDUCATION
To help youth establish self-sufficiency, we provide expert-led UPshops. These fun, hands-on workshops cover independent living skills, including college and career preparation, healthy living, coping skills and more.
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Amber Sosa (she/her) is a graduate of the University of Washington with a Master of Social Work degree specializing in […]
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