SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – The statistics for foster kids aging out of the system are grim.
According to the National Foster Youth Institute, after reaching the age of 18, 20 percent of the children who were in foster care will become instantly homeless. And there’s a less than a 3 percent chance for children who have aged out of foster care to earn a college degree at any point in their life.
San Diego nonprofit Just in Time for Foster Youth (JIT) is doing its part to prevent young people here from becoming a statistic.
“When you turn 18 a lot of times the foster parents say here is a few dollars and you’re on your own, there’s no one to help you out,” said Ivan Chavez, who was in the foster system from age 7 to 17.
Growing up, he didn’t have many positive role models.
“For me, I never went to high school, and I barely went to middle school.”
But his journey brought him to JIT, where he now works as a full-time employee…
Keep Reading and Watch the Video: