In 2023 youth ages 14-21 increased to 50% of those in foster care, an increase from 28% the year before in NYC. Sadly, less than 10% of older youth will be adopted into a forever family and statistics still project 50% of foster youth will be homeless within the first few years of aging out. As for education, Advocates for Children of New York in January 2023 came out with a study that found youth in foster care age 14 and up transferred schools more than two times a year had a greater percentage of dropping out (27%) then earning a diploma (18.2%) and only 3% will graduate from college with a 4-year degree, only up from 1% in the 1980’s. The statistics show a very bleak future.

But we know there is a way we can prevent this from continuing.

There is an unquestionable need for a solid support system that gives older foster youth a place to land safely through all the ups and downs of living independently. An environment that allows them the space to move at their own pace, taking one step at a time to give them a better chance to get to where they want to go and never feel alone in the process.

We will be taking on full-time staff at the beginning of July and spend the following six months applying for grants to firm up funding for 2025 and beyond. Our hope is to expand Junket in a way that can meet more needs than we're currently able to in our volunteer capacity alone. We need to be in the office, daytime hours, with full focus on the Junket crew and their needs.

In order to make this a reality, we need $85,000 in additional funding this year. This funding will be used to provide salary for one full time employee, hire a financial firm to handle accounting and financial audits, expand the reach of the program, and recruit new volunteers to join as mentors.

The next step is daunting but also exhilarating and we need your support as we take this very pivotal next step to be able to offer a solid forever family to the very special and unique individuals who are living out their lives after foster care.

With your help, we can be that safety net to help provide assurance, security and confidence as they step into adulthood and beyond.