Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund

 The numbers are sobering. Nationally, seventy percent of teens who emancipate from foster care report that they want to attend college, but fewer than ten percent who graduate from high school enroll in college, and of those less than one percent graduate from college.* In Michigan, there are approximately 13,000 children are in the foster care system at any given time. As they reach adult age, having adequate resources to attain their dream of a college education is critical to having a successful future.

Since 2012, fundraising efforts have totaled over $1,300,000; all of which have been awarded as scholarships in the year they were raised. This was done through individual donations, group donations, sponsorships, ticket sales, auctions and many volunteer based fundraising events. Fostering Futures Scholarships were expanded to include any Michigan degree granting college or university.

Funds will provide scholarships to young adults who have experienced foster care who are enrolled at Michigan degree granting colleges and universities. Awards will be paid to the students’ college or university to assist with tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies. Scholarships will be awarded to youth via the application process at www.fosteringfutures-mi.com.

*Assessing the effects of Foster Care: Early results from the Casey National alumni study. Seattle, WA: Casey Family Programs, 2003. Available at www.casey.org.