While turning 18 for most teenagers means graduation parties, moving into college dorms or starting a new chapter of life with newfound and exciting independence, that’s not the case for some teens aging out of the foster care system. Instead, turning 18 means being immediately cut off from the only resources and support you have known most of your life. This abrupt transition to adulthood can come as a devastating blow to an already-traumatic childhood. Often this means a direct pathway to homelessness, insufficient education, underemployment and an increased likelihood of being involved with the criminal justice system by the age of 27.
The negative outcomes associated with aging out of the foster care system oftentimes are not considered by many Arizonans, who may not conceive that these youth not only lack a traditional support system, but are often alone in navigating adulthood and the challenges of independence with little to no safety nets, experience or guidance. Where are their vital documents? Who teaches them how to drive? Who waits for them on the other side of the stage when they graduate high school? Who helps them enroll in college or prepares them for their first job interview? Who picks them up at the end of the college semester to take them back home?
Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation is a state-wide nonprofit working to address the disparities faced by those impacted by foster care, including youth who age out of the foster care system. AFFCF closes financial barriers to education, increases employment and education attainment and supports stable housing. Last year alone, AFFCF supported close to 600 young adults ages 16-26 across Arizona. We recognize that the path to self-sufficiency is not traditional or linear and that beyond funding and short-lived touchpoints, we must provide meaningful human centered connections and supports – AFFCF’s work is invested in the lives of the youth we serve, regularly checking in, giving youth the space and grace to fail and recover and activating impactful programs and services.
AFFCF’s Keys to Success program, which serves older foster youth aged 16-26 in Pima, Maricopa and Yavapai Counties, was designed to ensure that those about to, or already aged out of the foster care system, can achieve baseline goals that will set them on the path to self-sufficiency. AFFCF served 473 youth through its Keys to Success program during 2024, and 88% of youth secured and maintained employment within a year of participating.
Similarly, AFFCF’s post-secondary program serves youth ages 18-26 across the state of Arizona in their pursuit of a two-year or four-year college education. Not only does our post-secondary program help bridge some cost of attendance gaps but it also comes with emergency funding support and dedicated staff to ensure that when life happens, students focus forward and don’t de-prioritize their education. Oftentimes we find that when our college students feel that there is nobody to call, they call us.
As a private nonprofit organization, AFFCF’s Keys to Success program and our Post-Secondary Program is made possible through the philanthropy of individuals, businesses and contributions from the community. If anyone would like to support AFFCF’s mission to give Arizona’s youth that are impacted by foster care an equitable chance at a prosperous adulthood, or to learn more about the various programs serving youth of all ages, visit affcf.org.