In seventeen years, FCNI has served 1,672 foster children/youth with an 85% overall success ratio.
 




Mia's Story - College Bound
Nine years in foster care and multiple foster homes later, Mia ended up in Family Care Network's Transitional Housing Placement Program (THPP) at the age of 16. "I was really determined to get into the THPP program," Mia reports, "I have always been independent and I felt that the program could offer me more freedom, as well as teach me the skills I would need to live on my own." Mia has been in foster care since she was seven years old and living in various homes hasn't always been easy for her. Now, at 17, Mia is on the brink of her high school graduation and looking forward to starting college in the fall with a full-ride scholarship.

Mia describes her life in THPP over this last year as a step towards independence. "I like making my own decisions, but I also like the support I receive in THPP," Mia explained. Mia has utilized the assets of the program to their fullest, learning how to budget, organize her apartment, manage her part-time job, all while maintaining good grades and participating in an after-school sport. Mia states that learning to budget has been her favorite new skill. While Mia's scholarship will pay for school and most expenses, it was important to her to learn how to spend and save her extra money. She believes that what she learned about managing her expenses while in THPP will help her in college and beyond.

Due to the trials of her young life, Mia was forced to grow up many years before she was ready. But in spite of this, Mia has been able to flourish within her circumstances, taking advantage of all the support of THPP while continuing to reach for her personal goals. With aspirations to one day become a Juvenile Court lawyer, Mia, while having to overcome a lot of adversity, continues to demonstrate her resilient spirit.

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