Mercedes first entered foster care when she was 15 years old, just two weeks shy of her 16th birthday. As a single mother, she lives paycheck to paycheck just trying to survive. She is going to community college full time to get an associate’s degree and had been using her phone to take online classes. She really needed a computer but just didn’t have the means to purchase one on her own.
Drop Out or Do Without
Even though she had just four semesters until she graduated, she was thinking about giving up on school because it was so difficult to do through her phone. Then she heard about Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation’s Focus Forward Fund that helps college students who age out of foster care cover unexpected expenses that can prevent them from finishing their degrees.
Through the Focus Forward Fund, Mercedes was able to get a laptop. Not having to do her classwork on her phone has made a huge difference.
“College is still hard, but having a laptop makes it much easier to keep up with my classes.”
– mercedes
Life Gets in the Way
Mercedes continued to face other obstacles that took her focus away from her studies. Still living paycheck to paycheck, she struggled to keep up with her obligations. The Focus Forward Fund stepped in to help her with a week’s worth of groceries when she needed an extra hand. She also received assistance with a security deposit so she could rent a house for her and her son.
“I am so thankful to AFFCF donors. Without their help, people like me who aged out of foster care and are now going to college might not be able to stay in school…I’m trying to show my son a better way in life. I am grateful for your help in this process,” said Mercedes.
Change the Story
AFFCF changes the story for students, who age out of foster care, like Mercedes, by providing financial aid to cover the expenses of life so they can focus on completing their education. Just three percent of college students with foster care backgrounds finishing their degree programs; we need your help to create better outcomes for them. Donate to AFFCF to change the story for young scholars.
Because AFFCF is a Qualifying Foster Care Organization, your donation comes right back to you in the form of a dollar-for-dollar credit on your Arizona state taxes, up to $1,051. Be the change…donate today!