Community Partner: Bethany Christian Services Family changes everything. Bethany Christian Services believes every child deserves to be loved, connected, and safe. For more than 75 years, faith has inspired this organization to stand for children in Georgia and around the world. Staff members have a special place in their hearts for teens like Damon, who need what only a family can provide. A young man with special needs, Damon was often picked on and bullied at school. One day, when an altercation escalated, he became aggressive. Officers were called, and Damon found himself in juvenile detention. His home life was chaotic with many siblings, and his parents were mostly absent. When Damon was released from detention, the court was unable to locate his family, and he had no idea where theyd gone. Because he was a minor, the only option was to release him into foster care. Some might see Damons story as everything they fear most about fostering teens. But Damon wasnt a bad kid. He was an angry kid whod been neglected and humiliated, and he didnt have the emotional tools to express his frustration appropriately. And then he ended up with the stigma of juvenile offender, making it that much harder for him to find a family when he needed one most. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families, nearly a quarter of the countrys 437,000 children in foster care are age 14 or older. Teens who age out of foster care at 18 (nearly 18,000 in 2018) face an uphill climb to break the cycle. National Foster Youth Institute determined that of the youth who leave foster care without a family: 20% become instantly homeless 70% of young women become pregnant before age 21, and their children often enter foster care 50% are gainfully employed by age 24 Less than 3% earn a college degree at any point in their life These statistics prove why its critical to connect teens like Damon with a caring parent who can give them stability, support, and guidance, as they prepare for adulthood. Just below a teens guarded exterior, youll often find a child whos been hurt, rejected, or neglected. Maybe youre in a position to provide the help and compassion that wasnt available for that teen when he/she was young. Today, Damon lives with a foster mom whose son and daughter-in-law are teachers. They are tutoring him and helping him catch up at school. Hes in a family environment where hes safe, valued, and most of all not alone. People who love him are meeting his needs. With time and a consistent rhythm of words and actions, Damon can embrace a reality most of us take for granted: Youre safe.Youre surrounded by people who care about you.Youre not alone. Doesnt every child deserve that? Visit the Bethany Christian Services website to learn how to become a foster parent or to explore other services that keep children loved, connected, and safe. Bethany Christian Services6645 Peachtree Dunwoody Road, NE, Atlanta, GA 30328-1606770-455-7111Bethany.org/Atlanta
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