Advocating for Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care
Welcome!
At the Kojensen Foundation (KJF), we believe in the triumph of the human spirit. We believe in the promise of our youth, and we are unequivocal in our belief that when they are loved, supported, and encouraged, our nation is stronger.
We are way makers, fierce advocates, and tireless champions of youth transitioning out of the foster care system. We support these youth in their quest to establish the foundation needed to survive and thrive in adulthood.
At KJF, we seek to bring much needed attention to the conditions impacting youth facing a world of insecurity without the infrastructure of the foster care system or guidance from a safe, nurturing support system (family). Youth that ‘age out’ of the system face insecurity in terms of housing, food, jobs, and many of the aspects needed to make it on their own, leaving them vulnerable and susceptible to circumstances that are challenging to navigate out of.
The Crisis of Aging Out
According to the National Foster Youth Institute:
- More than 23,000 children will age out of the U.S. foster care system every year.
- After reaching the age of 18, more than 20% of the children who were in foster care will become instantly homeless.
- Only 1 out of every 2 foster kids who age out of the system will have some form of gainful employment by the age of 24.
- There is less than a 3% chance for children who have aged out of foster care to earn a college degree at any point in their life.
- 7 out of 10 girls who age out of the foster care system will become pregnant before the age of 21.
- The percentage of children who age out of the foster care system and still suffer from the direct effects of PTSD: 25%.
- Tens of thousands of children in the foster care system were taken away from their parents after extreme abuse.
- 8% of the total child population of the United States is represented by reports of abuse that are given to authorities in the United States annually.
- In 2015, more than 20,000 young people — whom states failed to reunite with their families or place in permanent homes.
For us at KJF, these outcomes are unacceptable, and our young people deserve more. Our purpose is to bring visibility to the crisis facing this vulnerable youth population, in hopes that through storytelling, advocacy and fundraising we may help facilitate better outcomes and brighter futures for youth transitioning out of foster care.
Partner With Us
Get in Touch and Let us Care for your Loved Ones.
KJF addresses their need to be recognized in terms of housing, clothing, food, jobs, and all the resources required for a sustainable existence in the adult world.
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