My name is Emily Head. I want to help older youth as they age out of the foster care system. I am working with St. Paul Lutheran Church in Aurora, IL. and with Lutheran Social Services of Illinois. Currently, I am concentrating on the Aurora, Illinois area. But with your help, I can expand this area and help more youth by filling the gap left as they transition out.

The majority of the children, youth, and families served in the foster system are from communities where resources are limited, and live at or below the poverty level. These young people are vulnerable to continuing cycles of violence in their relationships, early parenthood, educational failure, and lack of job readiness without immediate intervention and support. Most have been neglected or abused and are struggling with emotional, behavioral, and developmental problems. With typical life histories that involve exposure to traumatic events such as neglect and physical, emotional, and sexual abuse by parents, separation from families, and witnessing violence within community and homes, these youth do not have a solid foundation for life beyond foster care.

There is a critical gap in services for older youth in the foster care system as they transition out of foster care services into adulthood. We want to help address part of this gap for those who will have trouble continuing their education after high school. We are doing this by offering them a scholarship to help pay for college. We need your help. These kids didn’t have the choice of a luxurious life like some of us do. We want to inform you that there is so much more going on in this world than you think. These young adults have so much talent and intelligence, and to waste that, just because of their background. That shouldn’t be the reason. Every child deserves a chance at a bright future. Every child should wake up and make a change in this world. Every child has a dream and they should chase that without looking back.


"This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad today!" Psalm 118:24.

Thank you for visiting and any donation is greatly appreciated. If you do donate, I hope you know that you are making a child’s smile bigger just because of your kind heart.