Teens and staff from JCCA joined the Westchester Children’s Association, The Children’s Village, and other child welfare organizations in Albany to advocate for more help for foster youth attending college. We met with state legislators and their staff to ask for $4.5 million in the New York State Budget to help bridge the financial gap for our young people in college and ensure their academic success. We are very proud of their efforts and love that our kids are making their voices heard!
For any young person seeking to go to college, the admission and financial aid process can be overwhelming. Many of the 4,000 college-age individuals in the foster care system, as well as those who have aged out of care lack the support they need to complete detailed financial paperwork and carefully review requirements.
Those who overcome these challenges and enroll in college still need a lot of support. They don’t always have the resources to pay for transportation or find a place to live during school breaks. The Foster Youth College Success Initiative addresses these challenges to make sure that New York State is doing everything it can to help these hard-working young people become successful adults.
Learn more: http://www.fysany.org