AFFCF is pleased to announce that 11 new students have been awarded the AFFCF scholarship for the Spring 2022 semester! One student, Naomi, is returning to the AFFCF Scholarship Program after a semester off of school.
Big Dreams
Naomi knew that college was for her. In fact, she took dual enrollment classes in high school. When she started college in the summer of 2018, she lacked access to technology and had to withdraw from two of her classes. After being awarded a laptop from the Penson Fund, she passed her remaining class. When the semester ended, Naomi wanted to focus on becoming stable financially, so she moved to a new city, purchased a vehicle, found employment, began living independently.
Once she felt ready to return to college, Naomi applied for and was awarded the AFFCF Scholarship for the Fall 2019 semester. Although she passed two of her three classes, she found that balancing school and work was difficult. She decided to take off the Spring 2020 semester to get back on track financially.
The COVID Effect
As we know all too well, 2020 hit and then everything went from better to worse. Naomi lost her job, her car, and even had to move back in with the people who put her into the system in the first place. She survived that, saved enough money to move out on her own, and finally get a new car.
During that time period, Naomi transitioned from working at a group home for youth in foster care to becoming a CNA! She kept in touch with AFFCF along the way, sharing challenges and successes. In late 2021, she reapplied and was accepted back into the AFFCF Scholarship program!
“I’m so thankful and blessed to be given another opportunity. I’ll be honest, I was a bit nervous due to my inconsistencies and thought that would have hindered me from receiving extra help. Thanks so much for taking another chance on me. You will not regret it!”
Naomi, AFFCF Scholar
Naomi is now studying at Glendale Community College taking prerequisite courses for nursing programs and preparing for her HESI exam for nursing.
“I’m so thankful and blessed to be given another opportunity. I’ll be honest, I was a bit nervous due to my inconsistencies and thought that would have hindered me from receiving extra help. Thanks so much for taking another chance on me. You will not regret it!”
Support College Dreams
Naomi’s story shows that hard work continues to pay off. Without AFFCF scholarship, many young adults who have aged out of foster care would not have the means to pursue their educational dreams.
You can help support young people, like Naomi, by making a foster care tax credit donation to Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation. Doing so, you can receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on your Arizona state taxes, up to $500 for individuals and up to $1,000 for couples. Donate by April 15, 2022, and you can count it toward your 2021 tax returns.