Foster Success sees increased demand for services

When teens and young adults transition out of the foster care system, they often find themselves with few resources. Foster Success helps them navigate their journey toward independence.

By: Meredith Hackler

INDIANAPOLIS — When teens and young adults transition out of the foster care system, they often find themselves with few resources.

Foster Success helps them navigate their journey toward independence.

One of the young people who have used this organization's resources is Rosie Ferguson. She transitioned out of the foster care system but found herself with nowhere to go.

"I was put out of the system at the age of 18. I was homeless for about three years,” Ferguson said. “I was couch-hopping."

She says her life would be much different if not for Foster Success.

" When I was homeless, I didn't have money to pay my phone bill because it was during COVID as well,” said Ferguson. “I didn't have money for food or anything like that. With Foster Success coming in and helping me, I was able to achieve a lot of those things.“

Rosie is just one of the hundreds of young adults the organization has helped. Foster Success says it is the only organization in the state that works with a specific population of teens and adults.

"There are more than 24,000 teens and young adults 14-26 years old that are transitioning out of the system in Indiana, " said Travis Tester with Foster Success.

The organization has education classes that allow those who participate to learn financial literacy and how to write a resume and cover letter while also helping them seek gainful employment. Those classes are where the organization is seeing an increase in demand.

"We are seeing the need grow but what we are also seeing is the need to grow in specific programs where they are wanting to educate themselves," Tester said.

But those classes and connections are something people loke Rosie say have been life-changing and inspiring.

" I didn't know what a cover letter was, so I was confused,” Ferguson said. I was like, 'What's a cover letter?' But being able to know what that is now and be able to take it to whatever job I want to it doesn't have to be a fast food restaurant. It could be for an office application; it could be for anything honestly. I'm going to be honest I feel like I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for foster success. “

Foster Success says they have supported 14 percent more young people during the fiscal year than last. For more information about the organization, click here.