Empowering Futures: Foster Alumni Mentoring Programs

Stepping into adulthood without a support system can be a daunting experience, especially for young people transitioning out of foster care. Foster alumni mentoring programs are designed to bridge this gap, providing consistent support, life skills, and connections that help these individuals thrive. These programs recognize that a stable community and personalized guidance can be transformative in helping foster alumni navigate the challenges of adulthood and achieve their full potential.

The Critical Need for Mentoring

When a young person ages out of foster care, they often face numerous obstacles, including a lack of family support, financial instability, and limited access to resources. Without a strong safety net, they may struggle to find housing, secure employment, and pursue educational opportunities. Foster alumni mentoring programs address these challenges by providing a caring community and individualized support tailored to their unique needs.

Core Components of Effective Mentoring Programs

Several key components contribute to the success of foster alumni mentoring programs. These include one-on-one support, community-building activities, skills-based workshops, and opportunities for personal and professional development.

One-to-One Support

Individualized support is a cornerstone of effective mentoring programs. One-on-one meetings are geared toward providing individualized support and guidance to members for removing barriers (e.g., housing, budgeting, employment, relationships, education, getting a driver’s license) so they can be successful. Members can ask to work directly with a FAM staff member to discuss their specific needs and develop a plan together for how to address them. This personalized approach allows mentors to address specific challenges and provide tailored guidance.

Community Building

Creating a sense of belonging is essential for foster alumni, who may have experienced instability and isolation. FAM Time, for example, offers monthly get-togethers that provide a non-structured opportunity for Members to build natural connections and relationships with others who have similar shared lived experiences. FAM Time is a regularly scheduled activity that may include activities such as paddle boarding classes, barbeques, painting, pottery, ax throwing, potluck dinners and holiday celebrations. These activities foster camaraderie and provide a supportive network of peers.

Skill-Based Workshops

Equipping foster alumni with essential life skills is crucial for their long-term success. Workshops offered by community members relate to various “adulting” topics, as requested by Members. Past options have included classes on healthy eating, decluttering your life, home buying, self-care practices, investing, setting healthy boundaries with biological family and automotive education. These workshops empower participants with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate everyday challenges.

Annual Retreats

Annual Retreats are designed to support members in learning necessary skills to obtain their dreams and life goals. FAM uses a curriculum designed by and for foster alumni that guides participants through specific exercises and activities while also connecting and having fun. These retreats provide a focused and immersive learning experience, helping participants develop essential skills and build confidence.

Specialized Programs for Targeted Support

In addition to core mentoring activities, many programs offer specialized support for specific groups within the foster alumni community.

Empower Yourself Teen Group

This eight-week course is offered during the school year and is available to those currently in foster care or kinship care. The course is designed to help identify their goals, understand themselves better, and set up a support system. Topics include developing healthy relationships, setting boundaries, practicing self-care, learning self-advocacy, and goal-planning for the future. This course provides a foundation of skills and support for young people still in the foster care system.

Messy Buns & Real Talk

This group is for foster alumni moms who are pregnant, parenting, or have adult children. This ongoing community group is focused on supporting each other by building relationships, sharing parenting tips and the fellowship of meeting together in-person. This group offers a safe and supportive space for foster alumni mothers to connect and share their experiences.

Addressing Practical Needs

Beyond mentoring and skill-building, many programs address the practical needs of foster alumni, such as housing, food security, and financial assistance.

Internship Program

This internship program is offered to young adults impacted by foster and kinship care who are ready to build real-world job skills in a supportive environment. Through the Inspired Starfish Internship, participants grow their workforce readiness through three specific goals: 1) practicing customer service and professional communication, 2) learning store operations and cash handling, and 3) processing donations and supporting merchandising. Interested individuals fill out an application and, if selected, commit to a structured 12-week internship experience with coaching and career support as they work toward long-term employment. This program provides valuable work experience and career support, helping participants gain financial stability.

Wishes Program

This opportunity is available through our national partner, One Simple Wish, and supported by FAM staff. For foster alumni who have a desired item/experience or “wish” (e.g., a new pair of shoes, a birthday present for their child, a laptop for school, household items), FAM staff will help them with writing and submitting their application. This program helps fulfill specific needs and desires, providing a sense of normalcy and support.

Scholarship Fund

This resource provides financial support to prospective and current students. Covered costs may include secondary, graduate, or vocational program tuition; certifications or other professional development; or other education-related tangible items (e.g., books, supplies). Initiated in 2021 and fully funded as an endowment in 2023, the Sylvia Aynn Richards Memorial Scholarship specifically provides resources for students who were in foster care and will be attending Colorado Mesa University. Monies for other programs are also available. To receive funds, an application is required and subject to approval. In addition to the Sylvia Aynn Richards Memorial Scholarship through CMU, FAM has created an internal scholarship fund that will allow those who are not eligible for the Foster Ed scholarship to apply for funds as well as individuals seeking certificates. This fund helps foster alumni pursue their educational goals, providing access to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.

Housing Support

This program focuses on supporting foster alumni with securing and maintaining housing, including limited financial support for deposits or rent assistance. While still under development, FAM is looking to launch its own housing support model to address the needs of those who are recently coming out of foster care and/or have been in foster care. This specifically designed curriculum will teach how to manage money, keep a safe and nurturing home environment, plan healthy meals and shop for food, and other related topics to help keep a steady place to call home. Stable housing is a fundamental need, and this program helps foster alumni secure and maintain a safe place to live.

Read also: Funding for Foster Students

Food Pantry

In 2024, FAM was approved to become a community partner with Food Bank of the Rockies! Through our partnership, FAM is able to provide wonderful pantry items to our FAM members at no cost to our members. This has been a welcomed addition and we are grateful to provide a much needed resource. Thanks to Food Bank of the Rockies; this institution is an equal opportunity provider. Addressing food insecurity is essential for the well-being of foster alumni, and this program provides access to nutritious food.

Real-Life Impact

The impact of foster alumni mentoring programs is profound, as illustrated by the stories of individuals who have benefited from these services.

After years of instability and multiple placements, Amelia came to FAM feeling alone and overwhelmed. Through mentoring, life skills training, and consistent support, she found stable housing, improved her grades, and achieved financial independence.

As a single mother of three, Jane was failing her college classes due to the pressure at home. Her university referred her to FAM - and everything changed. With advocacy, encouragement, and practical support, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree, secured a job as a case manager, purchased a reliable car, and moved into her first safe, stable home.

When Tammy lost her job, she feared losing everything. FAM stepped in with financial coaching, job readiness support, and consistent encouragement. She opened her first bank account, learned budgeting skills, and soon secured stable employment.

These stories demonstrate the transformative power of mentoring and support in helping foster alumni overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

Foster Alumni Mentors (FAM): A Model Program

Foster Alumni Mentors (FAM) stands out as a leading example of an effective mentoring program. Founded in 2017 by Kimberly Raff, who left the system in 1995 at 17 years old, completely on her own. Like so many others, she stepped into adulthood without a family, without guidance, and without anyone to call during the hardest moments. Years later, while working in child welfare, Kimberly saw that nothing had changed. Young people were still leaving care exactly as she had-without a support system, without resources, and without people they could trust. She knew the cost of that isolation. She had lived it herself. Determined to change the story for the next generation, Kimberly left her career and created Foster Alumni Mentors, a community where individuals who experienced foster or kinship care finally have what she never did: belonging, connection, and people who show up no matter what.

What began as a small peer-driven effort has grown into a powerful network of support. FAM now walks alongside hundreds of individuals through:

Consistent mentoring and advocacy
Life skills and leadership development
Peer support groups that build community and confidence
The Wish Program, celebrating milestones often missed during childhood
Employment and job training through The Inspired Starfish
Emotional support and crisis navigation
Access to food, transportation, basic needs, and a caring network

As FAM evolved, so did its partnerships. Today, FAM works alongside the Grand Junction Housing Authority and Mesa County Child Welfare to provide services for individuals receiving Fostering Youth to Independence (FYI) Housing Vouchers, ensuring no one has to navigate housing stability alone.

FAM exists because every person who experienced foster or kinship care deserves guidance, community, and the chance to thrive-not just survive.

How to Support Foster Alumni Mentoring Programs

Supporting foster alumni mentoring programs is an investment in the future of these young people and the communities they live in. There are many ways to get involved, including:

Donating: Financial contributions help sustain core programming and provide essential resources. $5,000 Provides intensive support for an individual over an entire year - mentoring, advocacy, financial coaching, access to food and basic needs, and consistent community connection. $10,000 Sustains core programming at FAM, ensuring continuous support for dozens of individuals.
Volunteering: Offering your time and expertise can make a significant difference in the lives of foster alumni. FAM is always looking for-and deeply appreciative of-people who are willing to offer their time and expertise. Whether it’s teaching a class, serving on an event committee, joining our board, helping with office work, putting together care packages or something else, we’d love to hear from you.
Mentoring: Becoming a mentor provides a unique opportunity to guide and support a young person as they navigate adulthood.
Advocating: Raising awareness about the needs of foster alumni and advocating for policies that support their success can create systemic change.

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