The Matthews House – Giving Youth A Helping Hand
“Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best they can possibly be.” – Rita F. Pierson
For so many of us, having a family that loves us and takes care of us as we grow into adults seems like such a normal act. When you have solid support behind you, the trust that they will always be there is unspoken and can easily be taken for granted. As you became a teenager and entered into a new round of firsts you could trust that someone would be there for you; whether it was applying to college, getting your first job, moving into your first apartment or buying your first car. You generally had someone to lean back on, to support you, to guide you down the best path, and to give you words of wisdom (even if you chose not to listen!).
What does the alternative look like? What if you didn’t have someone in your court helping you in these important first steps into adulthood? Some of our most at-risk youth, those aging out of the foster system may have lacked this support for years, if not their entire lives. While we hear about success stories from time to time, unfortunately the stats around foster children who age out of the system are astounding.
More than 23,000 children will age out of the US foster care system every year.
After reaching the age of 18, 20% of the children who were in foster care will become instantly homeless.
Only 1 out of every 2 foster kids who age out of the system will have some form of gainful employment by the age of 24.
There is less than a 3% chance for children who have aged out of foster care to earn a college degree at any point in their life.
The Matthews House not only works with these children to ensure they have the skills and support they need as they leave foster care but they also work with families before foster care becomes a factor. Prior to The Matthews House launch in 2005, there were no resources for this population in our area. The Matthews House has stepped up to serve at-risk youth no matter their circumstances – those involved in the juvenile justice system, youth who are homeless or don’t have a support system, and every single youth aging out of foster care in Larimer County is referred to The Matthews House for services.
Their staff works to become advocates for every youth: from case management, to connection of community resources, to empowering each person to live a healthy and self-sufficient life. Their team will help these individuals with anything they may need – a ride to work, an advocate during their court appearance, mentor for their first job application, or assistance coordinating details of their life that are causing them stress. Success is watching these youth get their first apartment, secure and maintain a job, start taking medication, work through law issues and more. The Matthews House has become a cornerstone for our community from families that might be experiencing difficulties to youth that need a helping hand while entering into adulthood – The Matthews House is creating the change!
To learn more about The Matthews House or if you’d like to donate, visit www.thematthewshouse.org.
