Impact Living Services: A Better Future for Teenagers in Foster Care
written by Alyssa Wilson, University of Lynchburg Bonner Intern
Life for teens aging out of the foster care system is harder than the average 18-year-old’s. However, in the Greater Lynchburg area Impact Living Services looks to give them a brighter future through their independent living programs.
When a child in the foster care system reaches the ages of 17 to 21, they begin to age out and must make a decision: do they want to go out independently into the world or do they want to seek extra care and support as they transition?
Through Impact Living Services’ Independent Living programs teens and young adults can get help with everything from learning how to make a grocery list, filling out a job application and buying their first car.
Impact has a specialized foster care program called treatment foster care which gives families the extra training and support they need in order to take care of children who may have complicated backgrounds.
For example, many children in the foster care system experience trauma or have other mental health issues that need to be properly cared for.
One of Impact’s most recent additions to the services they offer is The Boundary Project, a program for four to 11-year-olds who exemplify problematic sexualized behaviors.
Unfortunately this service is not available in many other parts of Virginia, and Impact Living Services has been heavily saturated with a need for this type of service.
A goal of the organization’s upcoming gala and fundraiser is to raise funds and awareness for The Boundary Project and generally show people the importance of the work that Impact does.
This gala will be taking place at The Virginian on October 26 and will feature comedian Andrew Stanley to help lighten the mood around a very serious topic.
With this gala, Impact also wants to push community members to get involved with their organization and encourage them to become mentors to teens in the independent living programs and open up their relational circles.
“Their biggest need really is relational,” says Maria Rolf, mission advancement officer at Impact. “So in addition to the independent living services that we provide we really value people getting in their lives because it really makes all the difference.”
To learn more about volunteering with Impact Living Services or to purchase a ticket to the gala, visit their SHARE Greater Lynchburg Profile here.