Foster Youth and Adoptees Can Graduate College Debt-Free with NC Reach, a Statewide Scholarship Program

Oct 23

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A successful new education initiative in North Carolina is enabling young adults emerging from foster care to graduate from college and enter the workforce without taking on years of student loan payments. NC Reach, launched earlier this year by the North Carolina Division of Social Services (DSS) and the Orphan Foundation of America (OFA), is a state-funded scholarship program that enables eligible foster youth and adoptees to graduate from college debt-free, and provides comprehensive support services while they are in school.

Since the program’s inception, nearly 250 students have joined the program or are in the process of enrolling, and nearly $700,000 in scholarships has been funded. NC Reach expects to enroll hundreds more in the coming year.

“This is a groundbreaking program – the first of its kind in the country,” said Eileen McCaffrey, executive director of OFA, a national organization supporting former foster youth that is administering NC Reach. “With the U.S. Department of Labor projecting that 80 percent of all jobs will require some kind of post-secondary education, young people who are particularly vulnerable in this economy will need extra support and encouragement to pursue their academic and career goals.”

Available to North Carolina residents up to age 26 who have either aged out of the North Carolina DSS foster care system at age 18 or were adopted from it after the age of 12, NC Reach funds up to the full Cost of Attendance (COA) at North Carolina state-affiliated universities or community colleges after all other financial aid has been applied. Funding typically covers tuition and fees, books and supplies, housing and personal living expenses. In addition, the program provides students with case management services, mentoring and internship opportunities, professional workshops and care packages.

Nationally, more than 25,000 teens age out of foster care each year and face many barriers as they transition into adulthood. Less than 50 percent of them finish high school. Nearly 70 percent want to go to college but only 13 percent do and, of those, half end up dropping out in the first year. However, nearly 65 percent of those involved with OFA’s programs graduate within five years, a rate matching that of students in the general population.

“NC Reach affirms North Carolina’s commitment to eliminating educational barriers for those who stand to benefit the most,” said McCaffrey. “By enabling them to fulfill their academic goals, this program positions these youth to launch professional careers and become assets in the workforce.”

“NC Reach and its support programs have given me so much,” said Shaquanna, a senior majoring in special education at Winston-Salem State University. “Thanks to the funding, mentors, and academic support I have, I’m going to school to be the best I can be.”

Visit www.ncreach.org for more information. Applications are accepted year round.

About NC Reach and the Orphan Foundation of America:

NC Reach is administered by the Orphan Foundation of America (OFA). Founded in 1981, OFA awards scholarships and funding to enable thousands of young people across the U.S. who have aged out of foster care to pursue their educational and professional goals. OFA also provides these youth with mentoring and internship opportunities, coaching, care packages, and family-like support. For more information, visit www.orphan.org.

Contact:

Orphan Foundation of America
Doug Sprei, Director of Communications
703-581-2498
dsprei@orphan.org
or
Storyline Public Relations
Kristine Thompson
585-624-7229
Kristine@storylinepublicrelations.com

Source: Orphan Foundation of America (OFA)

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