Welcome Home Kits for Aged Out Foster Youth

Hi! I am Jack Cook, a current Life Scout with Troop 278 in Superior. For my Eagle Project, I am working with the local nonprofit, Helping Hands-There After Foster Care to create 24 Welcome Home and 24 Cleaning Kits for aged-out foster youth.

Often, social workers find out with very little notice that these young adults will be moving into their first apartment. In many cases, the youth will have nothing but the clothes on their backs. The 24 Welcome Boxes I will make with the money raised will include items such as a pillow/blanket, hygiene items, and cooking and eating utensils. I also hope to make an additional 24 cleaning item boxes for youth already in their apartments. Having the items collected and boxed will allow the social workers to quickly get the needed items to these young adults.

Any money raised above my goal will be used to purchase additional items for my Welcome Home and Cleaning Boxes and/or for making more kits.

"Helping Hands - There After Foster Care is a charitable organization dedicated to helping young adults aging out of foster care. Working with local social workers in Boulder County, CO, we help provide for the unmet needs of these young adults by providing support and emergency funding for education, housing, medical aid, and other essential items.

Youth who turn 18 while in foster care often enter adulthood without the benefit of a support system. After reaching 18, 20% of young adults who have aged out of foster care will be instantly homeless, and nearly one-third will experience homelessness before they are 21. Seventy percent of young women will become pregnant before turning 21, and fewer than 3% will earn a college degree in their lifetime.

We work with volunteers and donors to help these young adults overcome the difficulties they face in their transition to independent living."