The Challenge
For many children, the path to adulthood is rough. Right now, more than 435,000 children are growing up in foster homes; 120,000 have been permanently separated from their parents and are waiting for adoption; 20,000 will turn 18 and “age out” without family support. We have a responsibility to do better. Preserving and strengthening families can allow children to grow up safely in their own homes without the trauma of family separation, and effective services can be the bridge to adulthood for young people who leave foster care alone.
Our Approach
Decades of experience and research have taught us this: a family does a better job of raising a child than the state. We provide and advocate for innovative, evidence-based, family-focused services designed to bring help and hope to children and their families, as well as proven services for young adults turning 18 in foster care.
1 in 20
children and youth in the U.S. are in state foster care systems
120,000+
are waiting for a new family through adoption
Our Impact
We’re changing the lives of thousands of children, families and young people every year through our direct services and partnerships with organizations and agencies around the country. Our work is to transform children’s systems, deepen our impact and deliver better results one child and one family at a time.
States
Locations
%
success rate
- Youth Villages States
- Partnering States
Lasting Change
Former LifeSetTM participant, Mariah, shares her story of how this Youth Villages program impacted her life.
Stories of Hope
Helping children and families live successfully
Intercept Helps Keep Families Together
At the beginning of their journey with Youth Villages, Donna felt she had reached the very end of the road and didn’t know what else to do. “I was on I-85 and thinking to myself, I could end it all right now,” Donna said.
Organizations work together to expand in-home mental and behavioral health services for Dayton’s children and families
DAYTON, Ohio– Dayton-area children with emotional, mental or behavioral health challenges and their families can now receive intensive in-home help through a new partnership among health care organizations.
Fostering across cultures and creating a sense of belonging
When children are removed from their homes, a priority when finding the right foster family is to place them in a home of the same culture. Unfortunately, due to the limited number of foster homes available at any given time, a cultural match is not guaranteed.
He’s fostered 85 teen boys, leading them toward success and stability
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A man tells us his story puts him in a unique position to help others in the most formative years of their lives. The number of people he’s helped is nothing short of staggering.
Mari finally finds stability
Mari entered the foster care system at just 9 years old when she was removed from her mother’s care. She was put in an emergency foster home before being placed with her father and his girlfriend.
MAKE A CAREER OUT OF CHANGING LIVES
Do you share our passion for helping children and families live successfully? We’ve got a place for you.
