Indiana House lawmakers recently teamed up to support foster care alumni who face many challenges when moving out of care and into their first apartment or dorm room.

In January, the Indiana House of Representatives joined the IARCA Institute for Excellence, an organization dedicated to supporting services for foster care children and young adults, to launch a donation drive at the Statehouse to collect essential household items for foster care alumni. Recently, the House hosted a volunteer day where legislators packed the donated items into new home starter kits, which are being distributed to foster care alumni throughout Indiana.

Through the “Fostering Hopeful Futures” charity initiative, the Indiana House of Representatives collected items like plastic plates, bowls and cups, kitchen utensils, oven mitts and bath items. House lawmakers assembled 150 kits, exceeding our goal of donating 100 kits.

Several representatives from IARCA member agencies visited the Statehouse during the volunteer day and met with House legislators to share more information about what they do to serve vulnerable children. Geminus Regional Health System, Firefly Children & Family Alliance, George Junior Republic, Gibault Children’s Services, United Methodist Youth Home, Open Door Youth Services and Benchmark Family Services – all IARCA members – help young Hoosiers in need and attended the event.

Foster care is designed to provide temporary housing and care for children and adolescents until they can be either reunited with their family, taken in by relatives, adopted or emancipated as an adult. According to the National Foster Youth Institute, approximately 20,000 young adults leave foster care in the U.S. with no legal parental relationship.

Recently, IARCA launched a Foster Alumni Team, which is made up of individuals with firsthand experience in the foster care system. To learn more about services available to older foster youth, contact the IARCA Institute at 317-849-8497 or email iarca@iarca.org.