Fostering Goodwill Inc.

Our MISSION is to act as a resource for youth who are aging out of foster care in Lexington, KY and assist this population as they transition away from the state’s care and become independent members of society.  We serve youth ages 18-25 living in Lexington, KY by educating them about their rights, informing them about available resources within the community and assisting them in completing tasks necessary to be on their own. This includes helping them secure basic needs such as food, housing, transportation, employment and education.  We provide consistency and compassion for a population that is many times forgotten.

Our PROGRAMS include:

CHRISTMAS WISHES     We work jointly with social services to identify those youth who have the most need for these charitable gifts. We are able to distribute gift cards to over 200 foster kids in Lexington thanks to the generosity of individuals and businesses within the community. The gift cards are distributed to the youth at our annual event at Gattitown.

GRADUATION CELEBRATION     We partner with Altrusa and Thursday's Child to celebrate the academic accomplishments of youth in foster care at an annual dinner each summer.  Graduates from high school, trade school and college enjoy an evening of food, fun and gifts. 

SECOND CHANCE SCHOLARSHIP     The Second Chance Scholarship was created to give former foster youth that have aged out of state's custody another opportunity to return to college and further their education.  We help them cover the costs of tuition, books, and supplies.

QUARTERLY YOUTH MEETINGS     We partner with DCBS to provide quarterly youth meetings to educate older youth on community resources as well as helping them establish relationships and friendships with other youth in similar situations.  Recent meetings have included car maintenance and cooking classes.

EMERGENCY FUNDS     We provide assistance for housing, food, and transportation on an emergency basis when needed.

TESTIMONIALS---  

I want to thank you for helping me achieve my work goals. Without this assistance I wouldn't have been able to start work as soon as I did. I am very grateful for your help. It's nice to know when you are down on your luck there are resources such as Fostering Goodwill to lend a hand.  Sincerely, Danasha Smith

My name is Tarran Norton.  I'm 25 years old and I have three children.  I was placed in care at age 17 and since then I have been granted the chance and pleasure of being selected for the Second Chance Scholarship and also various other opportunities including being able to sit on the board of members who make up the Second Chance Scholarship.  They have always taken care of the kids who are in the system and also those of us who are out of the system but still need assistance from time to time.  They see us working hard and trying to complete our goals and they definitely help us reach our goals by removing those barriers that keep us from being successful.  I am forever indebted to these people and all the other caseworkers, youth care workers, and coordinators who I have encountered over the years. 

My name is Christopher Hagans. I myself am a former foster youth who aged out of state care at 21 years old and it was a huge adjustment to self-sufficiency and something that made that possible were programs in Fostering Goodwill.  The housing assistance helped a young man like myself who was still finding out who I was, to get on my feet and keep me off the streets.  That opened the door for me to be able to take advantage of the education voucher, allowing my school to be paid for!  I've had the honor to work alongside social workers and be accepted to life-changing jobs including the VOC (Voices of the Commonwealth) where I was a foster youth advocate.  Needless to say, Fostering Goodwill has been a lifesaver for me and many others.  I am where I am because of what it has provided me.