Meet Grace*. She’s bright, driven, and thoughtful.
She’s overcome so much in her life, and yet she’s working to make a strong future for herself. As a recent high school graduate, there are lots of decisions ahead, and those decisions can be especially difficult without consistent, trusted adults helping along the way.
As for many youth transitioning out of foster care, support can often be scarce. Grace’s dad is in prison, and her mom passed away.
Despite the losses and hardships, she is motivated to be successful in life. When her case manager nominated her into I Pour Life, she began to meet with her LifeCoach, Katie. Grace shared her hopes for furthering her education, specifically becoming an ultrasound technician or X-ray technician, but she felt uncertain about the steps to take and lacked guidance.
Katie recognized how connecting Grace with support and resources could help her gain clarity and confidence for life after high school. She thought of Madysen, a former youth in I Pour Life’s programs, who successfully earned her X-ray technician certification and currently works in a radiation department locally. Katie reached out to her, and Madysen was more than willing to help.
“The video call turned out to be an incredibly powerful and inspiring moment,” Katie says. “ It was moving to witness a former youth come full circle and support someone currently walking a similar path.
“Madysen was open and encouraging, sharing her journey and practical advice, and answering all the questions my current youth had. By the end of the conversation, they exchanged contact information to stay connected for ongoing support.
“Moments like this truly highlight the impact of building social capital and fostering connections within our community. More than anything, I find it deeply rewarding to see our youth learning from each other, encouraging one another, and being inspired by the possibilities ahead.”
To learn more about I Pour Life’s unique, one-on-one approach, visit ipourlife.org/approach.
*Pseudonym