Stand in the Gap Focus Programs to Address Widespread Community Issues

Youth Aging Out of Foster Care

The Grim Reality:

• There are more than half a million children and youth in the U.S. foster care system, a 90% increase since 1987
• 80% of prison inmates have been through the foster care system (National Association of Social Workers)
• 3 of 10 of the nation’s homeless are former foster children
• Some experts estimate that 45 percent of those leaving foster care become homeless within a year (San Diego Daily Transcript)
• A recent study found that 12-18 months after leaving foster care:
  • 27% of the males and 10% of the females had been incarcerated
  • 33% were receiving public assistance
  • 37% had not finished high school
  • 50% were unemployed
    (Casey Family Programs National Center for Resource Family Support

Stand in the Gap is developing a program to surround individual young people with long-term surround care groups to mentor, role model and care about them as they step out into the world. Over the past two years we launched an initial pilot program in Missouri through Boys & Girls Town of Missouri.  In 2010 we have partnered with The Tulsa Boys Home, the Bair Foundation and several other “kindred spirits” with a heart for this population to expand our pilot in the Tulsa area.  The surround care model of SITG has a high rate of success working with other at-risk population groups and has immense potential for helping youth in foster care move toward healthy independence through a continuum of caring relationships, community connections, and support resources.