Foster Can Opportunities
We are currently operating two programs designed to provide education and social supports for continuing education and transitioning into independent living.
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The communities we serve include the 8 counties of the Capital Region: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington. We hope to expand to additional counties throughout New York State.
The DREAM BIGGER Scholarship Program provides financial support for pursuing higher education and career exploration for qualified students in foster care or transitioning out of foster care ages 17-22. All recipients must be enrolled in a college or vocational trade program, or recently graduated and seeking employment. Scholarship award amounts are contingent on available funding.
The LIVE BETTER Transition Program provides support to youth and young adults, 15 -30 yrs, that no longer have the state and federal resources of the foster care system. The program includes independent living workshops that will prepare youth to transition out of foster care. The program also includes a one-time housing grant for qualified youth transitioning out of foster care, that will support the security deposit for the lease signing of an apartment and initial household supplies. The program also includes twelve transition workshops that will focus on key pillars for successful transition to independent living such as budgeting, accessing community resources and support, the significance of community connections, employment readiness, higher education, maintaining health and wellness, etc. The participants will have the opportunity to earn stipends for their participation in the workshops. Housing grants and stipends are contingent on available funding.
Holiday Recreational Resource Baskets
The Holiday Recreational Resource Baskets is an outreach initiative to provide a basket of gift cards to recreational activities and restaurants, for young adults in foster care independent living programs to enjoy with a friend during the Thanksgiving Holiday. Many of these youth are in independent living programs because their permanency goal is to live on their own when they transition out of foster care. For most, this is their goal because they do not have family resources or stable homes to return to. A lot of them will not be able to be around family during the holidays, making the holiday season a high time for depression and withdrawal. This gift will enable them to have fun age appropriate activities to engage in with a peer for support so they are not alone.
Holiday Gift Drive
Each year we host a "Holiday Gift Drive" to obtain age appropriate gifts for transitioned aged youth in foster care to be distributed during the December Holiday Season. This year the gift drive will take place September - November. Gift's will be Distributed in December.
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We will accept monetary donations, gift cards, new self care products, new cosmetics, new electronics, new clothing, new household items, new books, new art supplies, new sports equipment, and more.
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For more information or to make a donation, contact info@fostercan.org.