WHY WE DO IT
Jacaranda Housing exists to do for some what we wish we could do for all.
Below is the story of a young woman and her struggles after aging out of the foster system.
Below are some of the statistics that the youth we are serving face as they enter adulthood.
2,960 Transition Age Youth (TAY - 18-24) experienced homelessness in 2022. Of those 2,960 TAY, 1,143 were living unsheltered.
In 2022, there were 2,571 young adults, 18-21 years old, in the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services system.
Youth that remain in care into adulthood were found to have higher educational attainment and improved employment outcomes compared to youth that exited care before or at 18.
A number of studies have found that former foster youth experience homelessness at higher rates than the general population.
In 2018, 65% of youth aging out of foster care were leaving without a permanent, legal connection to family, meaning they are on their own.
Children in foster care are at increased risk for a variety of emotional, physical, behavioral, and academic problems, with outcomes generally worse for children in group homes.
Aging out of the system creates challenges for many youth—a high percentage experience inadequate housing, low educational and career attainment, early parenthood, substance abuse, physical and mental health problems, and involvement with the criminal justice system.
56% of Los Angeles foster youth do not graduate from high school and less than 3% earn a college degree.
51% of foster youth are unemployed and 40% are on public assistance within two to four years of aging out of foster care.
50% of foster youth have significant behavioral or emotional problems. They are four times more likely to commit suicide than Vietnam veterans.