Each year, more than 700 young adults age out of Georgia’s foster care system. Most have nowhere to go and wind up homeless, live on the streets or couch surf, and often resort to a life of crime or poverty.
I understand their plight because I aged out of foster care. Like them, I, too, was confused, sad, angry, and afraid, wondering what got me into this position. Why didn’t I have parents who loved me? Why didn’t I have a place to live? As a young adult, why didn’t I have someone to send me off to college or technical school and guide me into the next stage of my life?
It took a long time to figure out that none of this was my fault.
I had to quit college in my freshman year because I didn’t have the money, even after working two jobs. Choosing not to be a professional victim, I found my own way to succeed. But it is rare for a former foster kid to do just that. This is why the Georgia Legislature recently adopted legislation to create the Georgia Foster Care Tax Credit.
It enables Georgia companies and taxpayers to get a dollar-for-dollar tax credit while directing their state tax dollars to non-profit organizations like the Fostering Success Act, Inc. (FSA) which dedicates funds to help these young adults transition out of state care.
Tax credit funds are used to assist former foster youth in paying tuition balances, rent, utilities, transportation, medical bills, books, computers and food costs among other items, so they can concentrate on their studies and complete their education.
Most young adults who age out of foster care barely survive. They either live on low-wage hourly jobs or government assistance, resort to crime or become victims of human trafficking. The vast majority of former foster kids are unable to find ways to obtain a secondary education, so they can’t find a good-paying job and become independent.
The Annie Casey Foundation Kids County Data Center reports one in five who age out of foster care are incarcerated by the age of 19.
The tax credit program seeks to give these former foster youth, aged 18 to 26, the same opportunities as any young adult who has healthy parents in their lives. Believe me, that’s something every young adult who ages out of foster care wishes they had.
Capped at $20 million, the tax credit has no current limit on donations for Georgia taxpayers. That means single taxpayers, married couples or businesses can allocate their entire state tax obligation to this tax credit program.
In 2023 during the initial year of the program, the state Department of Revenue approved $9.7 million in contributions to FSA. Since the start of the program, 549 Georgia youth who have aged out of care have reached out to us for support.
Just this fall, we assisted 153 young adults in enrolling in post-secondary education. And 298 former foster kids now have life coaches to guide them, have a meal with them and encourage them through their daily struggles. They now have someone to talk to about relationships, choosing a career path, paying bills and other life challenges.
There is nothing more important as a former foster child than to have an adult in your corner who can convince you that you can achieve your dreams and that you are worthy of a good life.
Georgia taxpayers still have an opportunity to offset their state income taxes and participate in the 2024 tax credit program. To qualify, taxpayers must apply to the state, get approved and make their payments within 60 days of being approved or by Dec. 31, whichever comes first.
You can start the process of applying for the tax credit with FSA here.
I survived foster care and rose to success, and so can many of these kids with a helping hand. What better way to make it happen than by reducing your state income taxes and changing the life of a former foster youth?
Very glad to see this.