Graduation caps fly. College acceptance letters arrive. First apartments await. For most 18-year-olds, these moments mark exciting new beginnings. But for youth aging out of foster care, legal adulthood often signals the start of a frightening life ahead.
The numbers tell a harrowing story: 11-36% of youth who age out of foster care experience homelessness, compared to just 4% of the general young adult population. This crisis demanded action. That’s why Waypoint has developed a plan, including forming strategic partnerships with organizations like the Dover Children’s Home and The Chase Home.
Dover Children’s Home and The Chase Home have long served as shelters for youth under 18 without caregivers. But at 18, these young people begin to age out of youth programming and need to figure out their next steps. Many of these young adults scatter across communities, beginning cycles of instability that can last a lifetime.
By working with other organizations and bringing our unique knowledge sets to the table, we are better able to help at-risk youth build successful futures. Our partnership centers on prevention and early intervention. Rather than waiting for a crisis to unfold, we work together to ensure that youth leaving foster care have the tools they need as they approach adulthood.
“We know there’s an unfortunate pipeline from child welfare into youth homelessness,” Joss Birnie, Site Supervisor at our Rochester Youth Drop-in Center, says. “Through this work, we are disrupting the system.”
Aftercare Night at Waypoint’s Rochester Youth Drop-in Center exemplifies this approach. Each month, partners and former foster youth gather for life skills workshops, job search support, and something equally precious: connection. Here, shared experiences become sources of strength and pathways to resources that ensure successful transitions.
The impact of our strategic partnerships can be seen already. Amanda* connected with Waypoint’s services just before aging out of care, leading to a reunion with her sister and stable housing. Today she thrives—working, attending college, and living independently. Ben*, in foster care since toddlerhood and facing a housing crisis, found immediate shelter and case management through Waypoint. Now in his own apartment through the Foster Youth to Independence Voucher program, he remains engaged with aftercare services and has built peer connections. These success stories are just a glimpse of what these partnerships have achieved. By intervening early, providing wraparound services, and connecting youth with critical resources, Waypoint and its partners are disrupting the cycle that leads foster youth to homelessness.
“Outcomes are better for young people when we can prevent any homelessness,” says Joss. “It’s not easy, and together with Dover Children’s and Chase Home, we are co-committing. We know it’s the right thing to do for young people, and we really appreciate this partnership and willingness to try things on.”
None of this happens without you. Your support makes partnerships like this possible, giving vulnerable youth the foundation for successful, stable, and happy adulthoods.
* Names have been changed