With your support, she set herself up for success.
Fatima, a 19-year-old from northeast Indiana, recently completed Foster Success’s Opportunity Passport™ program, which allowed her to buy her very first car, a 2016 Chevy Malibu.
Now, she can more easily travel to and from classes in Fort Wayne, where she’s studying behavioral science and worship ministries through Bethel University.
“Before my car, I couldn’t go anywhere. I relied on volunteer drivers, and while I appreciated them, it was tedious and overwhelming. It was an incredible inconvenience in terms of wanting to do more with my life,” Fatima said. “Now, I can go to school. I can go hang out with my friends. My quality of life is just better. If you care about yourself and value your future, do it. It’s worth your time, and it’s (essentially) free money.”
Opportunity Passport™ helps young adults who have experienced foster care learn how to manage their finances and save. The multi-year program provides extensive financial education and an opportunity for us to match their savings up to $3,500 for approved assets.
Milner
Matches are up significantly this year, said Hannah Milner, Foster Success’s Assistant Director of Financial Empowerment. Just last month, your support made 14 matches possible. And already this month, nine more young people have matched for assets such as cars, housing down payments, or computers.
“I’m so proud of the Opportunity Passport™ participants for saving and taking huge steps to reach their goals. I’m also proud of Foster Success for building a great program since 2009 and providing this opportunity to young people. It’s amazing to see what young people can do with a little extra support,” Hannah said.
Fatima’s match this week served as a major milestone for Foster Success — pushing us over the $1 million mark. Since 2009, your support has allowed us to provide over $431,000 in matched funds, and young people have saved over $555,000 of their own money, an incentive that made all the difference for Fatima.
“It was a good opportunity for me to learn how to save — that was the biggest thing. I thought, OK, now I have an incentive to save,” she said. “I was really inspired by that opportunity to be self-sufficient.”