Katie and Jeff Steele, founders of the Michigan nonprofit organization Kids Belong, are in the process of constructing duplex homes for youth exiting foster care called “First Place.” With experience as foster parents, the Steeles are constructing this complex to offer a secure and affordable living environment for its young tenants. The location of these duplexes also facilitates easy access to educational and employment opportunities. Situated near the Steele family, the residents will also be welcome to attend dinners and holiday gatherings, fostering a sense of belonging. The “First Place” project will empower young people to establish independence while receiving guidance and support. The first duplex is expected to be ready in January.

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The ACME Markets Foundation threw Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick a party for his 29^th birthday and invited dozens of children in foster care to celebrate with him. His party was complete with a bouncy castle, face painting, and an Eagles-themed cake. Reddick shared that it meant a lot to him to celebrate his birthday with children in foster care since he has family members with foster care experience. Reddick gifted his young guests duffle bags, an Eagles T-shirt, a beanie and an autographed photo as a thank you for celebrating his birthday with him.

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The Selfless Love Foundation, a nonprofit based in Broomfield, CO, organized a national think tank event to address the unique challenges faced by youth in foster care as they transition into adulthood. This event brought together individuals who shared a common goal of improving the outcomes for these older youth who are aging out of foster care. During the two-day think tank, participants engaged in discussions about policies and brainstormed innovative solutions to establish long-lasting connections for youth before they exit foster care. Notably, the conference involved older youth with foster care experience from 28 states, underscoring the importance of including individuals with lived experience in these critical discussions. 

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Hand2Paw is a non-profit organization that provides paid positions taking care of shelter animals and training in animal-related careers to young adults experiencing homelessness or foster care. When the founder of Hand2Paw, Rachel Cohen, graduated from college in 2012, she asked current Board Chair Penny Ellison, an attorney and Professor, to take care of Hand2Paw. One of the young adults Hand2Paw has helped in the past decade, Cherylanne Davis, has built a strong and long-term bond with her mentor, Penny. Cherylanne lost her mother at the age of 11 and experienced homelessness growing up while lacking family support. After joining Hand2Paw, she was able to get a job, have savings to go to college, and now aims to go to law school. Cherylanne says, “To have someone have faith in you and follow you through your journey is something that I think a lot more displaced and homeless young people really do need in this world.” 



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KVC West Virginia, a nonprofit focused on child welfare, foster care, and mental health, is collaborating with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State (BBBS) to connect youth in foster care with adult mentors. This partnership will facilitate mentoring services across BBBS’ various mentoring programs, including school-based, community-based, and corporate mentoring, with the goal of expanding the support networks of children in foster care. The organizations will work together to recruit adult mentors and increase enrollment of children in foster care in BBBS youth mentoring programs within several counties in West Virginia.

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With the support of Wellroot’s Independent Living Program (ILP), Shamonte Knight shows his extraordinary story of resilience as he successfully graduates from university and gets ready for independence as an adult. Shamonte had stayed with a family friend and experienced placement in a group home while growing up. He prioritized his goal of going to college and eventually got a full-ride scholarship to Texas Southern University, but ollowing challenges that he faced during the pandemic while in-person classes were cancelled and financial supports were cut off, Shamonte transferred to Georgia State University. After losing funding and living in his car, Wellroot, a child and family services non-profit, stepped in with a solution. Through the financial support and counseling from ILP’s program manager and life coach, Shamonte completed his degree and proudly discusses his strong passion to work in real estate as well as create TV shows.



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