What Are You Doing Mondays at 9 pm?

     There are 26,000 reasons to watch ABC Family Channel's new show, The Fosters.  The Fosters follows the day-to-day life of a non-traditional, multicultural family who have adopted twins at the age of 8 and are currently providing foster care (hence the too-cute name for the show) to a teenage girl and her younger brother.

     I highly recommend watching.  Although dramatized, the story-lines thus far are realistic and well-acted.  According to foster parents and foster teens who have commented extensively on social media sites, the show mirrors many of their experiences.  One of CT’s own foster youth has provided mentoring for one of the teen actors in the show only adding to the ability of the young actor to portray a realistic approximation of how a teen in foster care feels and acts. (Kudos to ABC Family for arranging this!)

     It is my fervent hope that some of you will watch and be moved to help change a foster teen’s life.  Fostering, adopting, mentoring, becoming a court-appointed legal advocate, and providing employment are all ways you can help. 

     The 26,000 reasons to watch?  One for each youth who ages out of U.S. foster care every year without a permanent family connection to love, care and sustain them – something every human being needs and deserves.  Without families, the outcomes for these kids are bleak.

• More than one in five will become homeless after age 18

• Only 58 percent will graduate high school by age 19 (compared to 87 percent of all 19 year olds)

• 71 percent of young women are pregnant by 21, facing higher rates of unemployment, criminal conviction, public assistance, and involvement in the child welfare system

• At the age of 24, only half are employed

• Fewer than 3 percent will earn a college degree by age 25 (compared to 28 percent of all 25 year olds5

• One in four will be involved in the justice system within two years of leaving the foster care system*

*Taken from: Jim Casey Youth Opportunities

Interested in learning more about foster care?  Call me at 203.706.0101. 

Interested in learning more about the show? Visit their website: The Fosters