Ariela Rubens - Aiding Youth Affected Foster Care

Hi, my name is Ariela Rubens. I am a sophomore at the Jewish Community High School of the Bay. Some of my favorite things are learning, playing sports, doing art, and hanging out with friends. I was raised in an observant Jewish household that prioritized education. From a very young age, I was taught to do mitzvot (good deeds). One of the most essential mitzvot is the act of giving to others and helping others. Helping others is what inspired me to join the Jewish Teen Foundation (JTF) Board, a teen philanthropy program training teens to create positive change in our society through research, fundraising, and grantmaking. I have enjoyed participating in JTF. 

Every year, the board comes to consensus on a population to focus on for the year, crafts a mission statement, learns about the needs of the population, vet organizations, review proposals, and ultimately award mission and values-aligned grants. This year, the JTF North Board is committed to supporting youth impacted by the foster care system through organizations/initiatives that provide aid enabling them to have secure and sustainable futures. 

Through our research, we learned how many youth exiting the foster care system were left to fend for themselves, lacking the resources and support to have a stable lifestyle. 

When I began to learn more and recognize trends, I was shocked to learn:

- Most of kids enter the foster care system due to unsafe conditions such as abuse, neglect, and unable to care for them. 

- One-fifth of the youth affected by the foster care system experience homelessness or unstable housing.

- In 2020, there were 407,493 youth in the foster care system

- In 2023, there were over 60,000 youth in the system in California alone. 

- Only 53% of the youth affected by the system end up getting a high school diploma or a GED. 

Other negative effects of the system include: lack of adequate elementary and secondary education, lack of employment, lack of health care, high increase risk of entering the justice system, and more.  Youth in the system are constantly moved around, eliminating any sese of stability or normalcy.  Youth deserve to feel loved and cared for.  The world can be tough enough as is. California has a program called AB12 that extends support to youth to the age of 21, but not all youth qualify or apply and must fulfill a number of goals to remain. 

With stats like these, there is no question the system needs to change.  We can no longer allow youth to fend for themselves or be put in unstable/dangerous situations.

Join us in making a difference. Donate today! Every dollar raised will go to organizations working tirelessly to improve the system and also to youth to help integrate them as they transition into adulthood. Please strongly consider donating by April 10th, 2023 to aid youth and their future that are affected by the foster care system. Youth are our future and when we support them so they can fly like an eagle.  

If you have any questions or want to learn more, please reach out to me at arielarubens16@gmail.com.

Thank you for your support, Ariela Rubens