Foster Success is celebrating community support after its annual FriendsGiving campaign raised more than $150,000, surpassing its original goal of $120,000. The successful campaign comes at a critical time for the organization, which recently announced it must reduce its budget by more than $600,000 due to federal and state government funding losses.
In December, Foster Success asked the community to step up to help ensure teens and young adults transitioning out of foster care could continue receiving essential support. Hoosiers responded with outstanding generosity, demonstrating a powerful commitment to young people who often have no safety net as they enter adulthood. More than 82 first-time Foster Success donors contributed from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, meaning 45 percent of the total FriendsGiving Campaign donors had never donated to the organization before.
“We are incredibly grateful for this outpouring of support,” Foster Success President and CEO Dr. Maggie Stevens said. “At a moment when our organization is navigating uncertainty, our community showed up in a big way for older foster youth. This campaign sent a clear message to young people: you are not alone, and your community cares about your future.”
Funds raised through FriendsGiving will support Foster Success initiatives such as its Basic Needs program, which provides emergency financial assistance and access to essentials such as housing support, utilities, food, clothing, hygiene products, and transportation. These resources help young people stay safe, warm, and housed while they work toward long-term stability through education and employment.
While the campaign’s success is a major milestone, Foster Success leaders stress that additional support is still needed to help close the remaining funding gap created by recent government cuts.
“Exceeding our FriendsGiving goal was incredibly encouraging, but the reality is that the loss of more than $600,000 in funding still presents serious challenges,” Dr. Stevens said. “Continued community investment is essential to ensure we can keep showing up for young people as they navigate adulthood without family support.”
Foster Success is the only organization in Indiana exclusively focused on supporting teens and young adults transitioning out of foster care, providing programs and resources designed to help them become educated, housed, financially stable, employed, and connected by their 26th birthday.
Community members can continue to support Foster Success through donations, which may qualify for a state tax credit of up to $10,000. More information about Foster Success and ways to give can be found at fostersuccess.org. Donors with questions can reach out to development@fostersuccess.org.