Blog - Fostering Advocates Arizona

Real-Life Advocate : Frank

May 15, 2015 by FAAZWebII Leave a Comment

Real Life Advocates

Learn 6 Ways To Be a Champion For Foster Youth and Young Adults.

For the month of May, to show our support for Foster Care Month, we will be highlighting young adults and sharing their experiences as an advocate for foster youth. Read Frank’s story below:

“My passion is improving the lives of others. Because of my experience on the Fostering Advocates Arizona (FAAZ) Youth Leadership Board, I decided to major in Public Policy. With a career in public service, I’ll leave Arizona a better place.”

Like many young adults on our FAAZ Youth Leadership Board, Frank wants to pave the way for future generations aging and transitioning out of foster care in Arizona.

Frank is a huge advocate of Arizona’s College Tuition Waiver. He has also participated in Opportunity Passport™ program and recently made an asset match. Read more here.

Have a story to share about how Fostering Advocates Arizona has impacted you? Join in the conversation on Facebook or comment below. #FosterCareMonth #reallifeadvocate #fostercareadvocate #youthspeakchange #fosterclub

Real-Life Advocate : Stefani

May 14, 2015 by FAAZWebII Leave a Comment

Real Life Advocates

Learn 6 Ways To Be a Champion For Foster Youth and Young Adults.

For the month of May, to show our support for Foster Care Month, we will be highlighting young adults and sharing their experiences as an advocate for foster youth. Read Stefani’s story below:

“My passion is my family and keeping them together because that’s all we’ve got left. “

Stefani is a strong advocate for family connections. From her personal experience with the system, she understands firsthand the difficulty of staying connected to siblings. Stefani has turned her advocacy voice into action, as she’s working to adopt her bother and create a lasting connection as she transitions to the next phase of life.

Real-Life Advocate : Amber

May 13, 2015 by FAAZWebII Leave a Comment

Real Life Advocates

Learn 6 Ways To Be a Champion For Foster Youth and Young Adults.

For the month of May, to show our support for Foster Care Month, we will be highlighting young adults and sharing their experiences as an advocate for foster youth. Read Amber’s story below:

“My passion in life is to help people, anyone and everyone.”

Amber has taken her passion to help people and her experience in foster care and turned them into action. Through her active efforts in speaking at community events and provider agencies, she has further informed the community and foster youth on the resources and services available to young adults such as the Arizona Education Waiver and the Young Adult Transitional Insurance.

Read more about Amber and her passion to help here.

Real-Life Advocate : Jasmine

May 8, 2015 by FAAZWebII Leave a Comment

Real Life Advocates

Learn 6 Ways To Be a Champion For Foster Youth and Young Adults.

For the month of May, to show our support for Foster Care Month, we will be highlighting young adults and sharing their experiences as an advocate for foster youth. Read Jasmine’s story below:

“I wanted the opportunity to contribute to a system that molded and shaped me as a person and past dependent.”

As an advocate for foster youth, Jasmine is a firm believer in staying conscious in her efforts, and in all aspects of her life. From her experience as a dependent of foster care, she takes an empathetic approach in embracing each individual’s unique experience in care as she strives to better policies and laws impacting young adults.

Currently working at Tumbleweed, Jasmine assists young adults in preparing for the work force while connecting them to job readiness skills and employment opportunities.

Read more about Jasmine and her passion for advocacy here.

Bridging Success Early Start is “Pivital” For Foster Youth

May 7, 2015 by FAAZWebII Leave a Comment

Fostering Advocates Arizona board member, Desaray Klimenko, was recently featured in the ASU News editorial Former foster youth get head start on college preparedness with new ASU program. She spoke on the importance of developing a support system for foster youth who are pursuing a college degree. In 2014, approximately 711 young adults exited foster care in the state of Arizona. Often the road map to post-secondary education for these youth is anything but easy to navigate. Without the assistance from adults or role-models to navigate financial assistance, housing, and balancing work and school, attaining a college degree seems slim at best.

Without the preparation and resources, these challenges can easily derail students from pursuing, and achieving, a college degree,” Cynthia Lietz, associate dean in the College of Public Service and Community Solutions (cited from ASUNews).

Bridging Success Early-Start is looking to fill that gap and provide a safety net for young adults by preparing students for college and providing resources to foster youth entering the ASU campus. They will provide support through a one-week program orientation before the start of the fall semester. Through this program, young adults will be receiving specialized training and will gain the knowledge and practice of life skills that significantly increase their chances of success, while also facilitating connections that build stability.

Read more about how you can navigate your college path.

“My passion is improving the lives of others. Because of my experience on the Fostering Advocates Arizona (FAAZ) Youth Leadership Board, I decided to major in Public Policy. With a career in public service, I’ll leave Arizona a better place.”

“My passion is my family and keeping them together because that’s all we’ve got left. “

“My passion in life is to help people, anyone and everyone.”

“I wanted the opportunity to contribute to a system that molded and shaped me as a person and past dependent.”

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