ATLANTA – Annually, lots of of teenagers in Georgia age out of the foster care system — and lots of of them depart with none form of security web.
However a newly renewed tax credit score handed by the Georgia Legislature offers residents a method to help these younger adults.
What we all know:
Based on Wellroot, roughly 500 younger adults age out of foster care annually in Georgia. The Annie E. Casey Basis studies that one in six expertise homelessness between the ages of 17 and 19, and one in 4 report being homeless between 19 and 21. Practically one in 5 are incarcerated by age 19.
“They lack the household help that many people are privileged to have. They lack constant training. Generally they’re moved round rather a lot, and they also fall behind educationally. They want extra workforce help and assist preparing for the workforce,” stated Mary Vincent, Wellroot’s Senior Vice President of Packages.
“They want housing, wraparound companies, and entry to well being care and psychological well being care,” she added.
This 12 months, the Georgia Legislature handed HB 136, which renews the Fostering Success Tax Credit score and raises its cap from $20 million to $30 million. This permits Georgians to obtain a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit score when donating to organizations that help youth growing older out of the foster care system.
The funding helps applications like Wellroot’s Transitional Dwelling Program, which supplies housing, instructional, and workforce help for former foster youth.
What they’re saying:
This week, Kayla Beasley moved into her newly renovated unit by Wellroot’s Transitional Dwelling Program. Having a steady place to remain is a major change for Beasley, who spent a lot of her life with out one.
“I have been in foster care since I used to be round 5 years outdated and I have been out and in of foster properties. I used to be adopted at one level, however resulting from private conditions, I used to be returned to the foster care system. And as lots of people know, many individuals don’t need to foster older foster youth. So I used to be out and in of foster properties at that cut-off date,” she stated.
Kayla just lately aged out of the system. By Wellroot, she and different residents obtain secure housing and entry to companies that assist them transition into maturity.
“Working with their instructional coordinator, I used to be allowed the chance to get my GED and begin school. So it was actually good,” Beasley stated.
Now learning to turn into a nurse, Beasley says her targets felt out of attain earlier than becoming a member of this system. She hopes extra individuals will donate to the newly expanded tax credit score in order that others like her can entry the identical alternatives.
“The cash that they are placing in the direction of these applications actually does assist any individual like me obtain targets, ambitions, and desires that we by no means thought we might truly obtain,” she stated.
What you are able to do:
Wellroot encourages Georgians to learn the way their 2025 tax funds will be redirected to help youth growing older out of foster care. Go to www.Wellroot.org/tax-credit or name Wellroot’s Improvement staff at 404-327-5877 for extra info.
The tax credit score invoice has been despatched to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for signature. His workplace says they’re presently reviewing the laws and can resolve whether or not to signal it within the coming days.
