It’s been 20 years since Traci aged out of foster care. And her story illustrates one universal truth.
Support makes the difference.
Supportive families mean the difference between school success and academic underachievement.
Supportive relationships are the difference between recovering from the mistakes of youth and letting those mistakes define you.
Developmental support during the critical young adult years from caring adults means the difference between becoming motivated and dependent.
And when family support is removed, young people will seek it out elsewhere.
Watch Traci’s story and see what support meant to her, how she struggled to keep supportive relationships in her life during tough times, and how she was motivated to succeed when family supports were intact.
Traci’s success comes from her own internal motivation, it’s true. But she’ll be the first to say that much of her drive to succeed was cultivated during adolescence and young adulthood by a supportive foster family.
When the support dried up? She sought it elsewhere, and experienced the negative outcomes so many who age out of care have in common.
But leaning back on her family support, and learning from the caring adults in her life empowered Traci to fulfill her own potential. And that’s an opportunity that all youth deserve.
Find out more about making supports available to foster youth until age 21.
Nebraska Children's mission is to maximize the potential of Nebraska’s children, youth, and families through collaboration and community-centered impact.
Growing the Good Life 
Leave a Reply