From Donor to Dream Job: Sarah Arenas’s Journey with Foster Success

Nov 14, 2024 | Educational Success, Impact, News

When Sarah Arenas received the email that Foster Success was hiring a Southern Region Education Coordinator, she knew she had to apply. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘This is what I’ve envisioned for my dream job,’” Sarah said.

She learned about Foster Success in 2018, when she participated in coaching sessions at the Foster Success office. Impressed by the organization’s efforts to support older foster youth, Sarah signed up for the newsletter to stay connected. As she learned more about Foster Success, she decided to become a recurring donor. In 2023, she applied for the Southern Region Education Coordinator position, and today she’s recently celebrated her first work anniversary at Foster Success.

Sarah’s day-to-day work centers around coaching young people as they navigate postsecondary opportunities through the Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program. Federally-funded and state-administered, the ETV program provides financial, academic, and human support to young people continuing their education. Sarah’s approach is grounded in building positive relationships, guiding each individual through their unique challenges and successes.

“Of course, seeing those big milestones is exciting,” Sarah explained. “But daily, I’m confronted with a young person having an obstacle and helping them either overcome that obstacle or empower them to find it within themselves to navigate that experience.”

She also provides assistance in getting young people involved with other Foster Success programs. “The more programs a young person is connected to, the more likely they are to be successful,” Sarah said, explaining how participation in multiple programs fosters positive experiences.

In addition to providing direct support to young people, Sarah’s strong connections with community partners highlight the importance of Foster Success, with many expressing to her their excitement about its statewide reach and availability as a valuable resource. She is deeply passionate about raising the organization’s visibility and ensuring its impact continues to grow.

“We’re not just an organization that doles out money or administrative tasks. There really does come with that long-time, continued support which is meaningful for young people and fellow youth workers.” 

Sarah remains a dedicated Foster Success donor not only because of the concrete impact she’s witnessed, but also because the organization actively invites donors and volunteers to play a direct role in advancing its mission. Whether through time, money, or skill, Sarah is committed to continuing her investment in older foster youth through Foster Success.

“When you really break it down, you’re maybe connected to a young person for 1% of their waking life,” Sarah said. “It’s such a small percentage of their time, but thinking about the impact you can make in that percentage of time, I think it’s a really well-spent 1%.”

We’re proud to say that last year over 50% of the staff, like Sarah, donated to our FriendsGiving campaign. This year our goal is to have even more staff participation. FriendsGiving is your opportunity to get involved by directly supporting young people with lived experience in foster care. It takes 1% of your time to invest in their journey to self-sufficiency.

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