Seattle Angels

Children who have experienced foster care are 2x as likely as US war veterans to experience PTSD as adults.* For young people experiencing foster care, life is anything but ordinary. Typical worries and fears – meeting a deadline for a class assignment, winning Saturday’s game against a rival, getting asked to the school dance – are eclipsed by the realities they face, beginning with the upheaval of being removed from their homes. Here's the stark reality: children who’ve experienced foster care are two times as likely as US war veterans to experience PTSD as adults. One in four young people aged 16-17 years old have attempted suicide. The toll of adverse childhood experiences is staggering, with a 60% increase in suicide risk for each additional trauma. Let that sink in for a moment. These aren't just statistics; they represent the 400,000 children and youth navigating foster care in the US. But we refuse to accept this grim reality. Our programs were built to empower children and youth to heal through the power of normalcy, consistency, and healthy relationships. Joining the Angel Alliance – our community of monthly donors – makes a tangible difference. Your investment ensures young people are matched, over and over again, with dedicated mentors who will help them thrive. Your influence and investment can transform lives. Will you join us? *Statistical sources can be found at https://lnkd.in/guYSqv9X #seattleangels #nfcm #nationalfostercaremonth #HealingTogether #BreakTheStigma #NationalAngels

91% of states do not offer programs that meet the mental health needs of foster youth.* What would create a seismic shift in your world – a shift so powerful that it feels as though the ground beneath you literally shakes? When you're 15 years old, moving to a new home and school creates a seismic shift. For youth experiencing foster care, that move happens an average of 8.3 times. Can you imagine? How would you keep up with the daily requirements of a typical 15 year old when your mind is constantly preoccupied with uncertainty? Mental health has been named a crisis in the United States. For youth experiencing foster care – the crisis is amplified. Why? Because more than 91% of our country lacks adequate programs to address the mental health needs of children and youth experiencing foster care. The system is not set up to meet their needs; on the contrary, it creates more of them. Our programs bridge the gap in mental health support. We’ve engaged community members across the country to radically change the foster care experience. When children and youth move homes, volunteers and mentors stick with them. Achieving relational permanency is the priority – where young people can build trust and authentic, lasting relationships with healthy adults who believe in them. Social capital is a powerful thing. This work creates bonds and bridges that lift people and communities up in powerful ways – and you can be a part of it. A $15 monthly gift supports the sustainability and growth of our programs. Your investment transforms lives. Will you join our Angel Alliance today to say YES to standing in the gap for the children and youth who need us? *Statistical sources can be found at https://lnkd.in/guYSqv9X #seattleangels #nfcm #nationalfostercaremonth #NationalAngels #FosterCare #MentalHealthMatters

80% of youth who have experienced foster care will exhibit mental health issues.* Imagine this: You’re five years old, a stranger comes to your door and after packing up a bag of your belongings, buckles you up in an unfamiliar car. You have no idea where you are going. No idea why any of this is happening. You're vulnerable, scared, and confused. Your sense of security has been shattered, and you're left grappling with emotions well beyond your years. The life-altering impact this single experience could have on any child or youth is hard to imagine. The damage can be catastrophic: 80% of youth who've been removed from their homes and taken into foster care will exhibit mental health issues. 80%. This is a staggering statistic – but there's hope. Our Love Box® and Dare to Dream® programs are designed to build radical community around foster families and the children and youth in their care. This promotes placement stability where healthy adults can consistently and intentionally show up to nurture environments where kids can thrive. Placement stability = better outcomes. This work is truly hopeful – and we have an opportunity for you to be a part of it. Some choose to foster. Some choose to volunteer. Some choose to stand in the gap by consistently supporting this life-changing work through a monthly donation. Your gift of $15, $25, $50, no matter the amount, influences the stats. It sends a powerful message: you believe that every child, youth, and family experiencing foster care deserves to be reached and radically served by our programs. Will you join us? *Statistical sources can be found at https://lnkd.in/guYSqv9X #seattleangels #nfcm #nationalangels #nationalfostercaremonth #mentalhealthmatters #fostercare

With our fundraiser ✨️ Fostering Hope ✨️ coming up in a few days, we'd like to give our THANKS to our sponsors! Tam Skylights is a family run business located in Seattle, Washington and produces the highest quality skylights in the Northwest. Tam Skylights loves that Seattle Angels stands with and for children. Their journeys are so unique, any way that there can be support for them is a blessing. Thank you Tam Skylights for all of your support! There's still time to purchase tickets for Fostering Hope. Comment "HOPE" and we'll send you the link to purchase tickets or click the link in our bio! #seattleangels #tamskylights #sponsor #fundraiser #fosteringhope #fostercare

1 in 5 people incarcerated in state prisons spent experienced foster care.* It's difficult to fully grasp. One in five. 20% of the state prison population has experienced foster care and about 70% of youth who exit foster care as legal adults will be arrested at least once by age 26. We’ve been talking about the statistics all month, and the cycles they create. From educational barriers, disproportionate suspensions and expulsions, multiple placements, no relational permanency or place to call home…it all contributes to this alarming reality. These numbers are unacceptable, but we firmly believe they can be prevented. People have the power to take action to prevent and avoid these cyclical outcomes. Prevention is about taking proactive steps – and that's precisely what our programs facilitate. They intentionally connect people to one another. They create spaces where people can build connection, trust, and community. They equip young people with the tools and resources they need to navigate life’s challenges. Our programs nurture their immense potential through one-to-one mentorship and unwavering belief – and it can change the trajectory of their lives. What's needed is people like you willing to stand in the gap. That’s what it takes. You can take part in this work in a life-changing way. YOU can stand in the gap! When individuals come together to invest $15/month, $25/month, $50/month – powerful and sustainable change becomes possible. Together, we can make generational change a reality. The power of people. The power of YOU. Will you join us today? (Click the link in our bio to say yes!) *Statistical sources can be found at https://lnkd.in/guYSqv9X #SeattleAngels #FosterCare #BreakingTheCycle #EmpoweredBySupport #DareToDream

If a child has moved to five or more placements, they are at a 90% risk of being involved with the criminal legal system.* The average number of placements for youth experiencing foster care is 8.3. Now, read that statistic above again. If a child has moved to five or more placements, they’re facing a 90% chance of being involved with the criminal legal system. Every relocation erodes stability, relational permanency, and normalcy for youth experiencing foster care – all things critical for young people, no matter the circumstances, to thrive. We know the foster care system isn’t perfect. We know it’s in crisis. But systems don’t create deep, trusting relationships – people do. Where the system fails to provide stability and support when young people need it most, our communities can. Our programs partner with community members across the country to radically change the foster care experience – both for the children and youth experiencing foster care, and the families who open up their doors to foster. The fewer placements youth endure, the more likely they are to overcome the statistics they face. Decreasing placements for youth experiencing foster care (placement stability) is a cornerstone of our mission and programs – and every person can have a role in it. Some choose to foster. Some choose to volunteer. Some choose to stand in the gap by consistently supporting this life-changing work through a monthly donation. Your gift of $15, $25, $50, no matter the amount, influences the stats. Your gift sends a powerful message: you believe that every child, youth, and family experiencing foster care deserves to be reached and radically served by our programs. Will you join us? *Statistical sources can be found at https://lnkd.in/diAmgWVh #SeattleAngels #NFCM #FosterCare #CriminalJusticeReform #NationalAngels

Over 50% of youth experiencing care will experience an arrest, conviction, or overnight stay at a correctional facility by age seventeen.* Imagine yourself at 17 years old. What was life like for you? What challenges did you face? When you thought about your future – what did you dream about? Could you imagine being in a scenario where flashing lights surrounded you, and with your hands cuffed behind your back, you were arrested and taken to a correctional facility? For young people experiencing foster care, turning 17 marks the countdown to aging out. For 50%, the criminal legal system is already familiar. These young people are the most at-risk teenagers in our communities. Without their practical and emotional needs being met, they’re vulnerable to forming unhealthy attachments and making poor choices, over and over again. The “foster care to prison pipeline” is well-documented. It’s also preventable. Thriving requires stability, normalcy, and a consistent adult presence — someone who sees their potential and believes in them. Someone who intentionally guides them toward a brighter future. This is the essence of our programs. You can play a critical role in it. Your investment of $15 or $25/month supports the growth and sustainability of this work. Generational change is possible through the power of people. We can put an end to pipelines and cycles through radical mentorship and community. It just takes a few minutes to join us. Head to the link in bio to join our community of monthly donors to stand in the gap – together! *Statistical sources can be found at https://lnkd.in/guYSqv9X #SeattleAngels #FosterCare #NCFM #AngelAlliance #Guidance #NationalAngels

With our fundraiser ✨️ Fostering Hope ✨️ coming up on May 30th, we'd like to give our THANKS to our sponsors! The Moore Team at Moore Than A Mortgage are trusted by hundreds of mortgage clients as demonstrated by repeat business, robust referrals, and glowing customer satisfaction ratings. Their Team of professionals provide valuable mortgage education and planning services for all home ownership phases (first time, vacation, investment, refinance, downsize) which is why they have clients for life. The Moore Team says, "We support Seattle Angels, because we understand how important and difficult foster care is for foster parents and hope that our support provides resources and encouragement." Thank you The Moore Team for all of your support! There's still time to purchase tickets for Fostering Hope. Comment "HOPE" and we'll send you the link to purchase tickets or click the link in our bio! #seattleangels #mooreteam #moorethanamortgage #sponsor #fundraiser #fosteringhope #fostercare

47% of all current foster youth experienced homelessness with their biological family.* As youth experiencing foster care get closer to their 18th birthday, they get closer to aging out. If some type of permanency hasn’t been achieved, the future can be totally uncertain. Without a support system, or a defined opportunity to get a job or continue education, the future is not just uncertain – in many cases, it’s set up to fail and fall into the downstream cycles we’re passionately trying to disrupt. For many, instability has been a constant companion. Some have never known the stability and security that we might take for granted. For 47% of current foster youth, homelessness isn’t an idea. It’s an experience they’ve personally faced with their biological families before being removed. Cut to their 18th birthday, and they find themselves in a position that mirrors the circumstances of their childhood. Here’s the sobering truth: without intervention, the pattern of homelessness may persist, perpetuating the cycle for generations to come. Our programs were developed to break these cycles through mentorship, and radical community. We're empowering youth to claim their futures despite their past. You can take part in this work in a life-changing way. When hundreds of individuals like you come together to invest $15/month, $25/month, $50/month – powerful and sustainable change becomes possible. Generational change becomes possible. You can use your influence to change the statistics. Will you join us today? (Click the 🔗 link in our bio to say yes!) *Statistical sources can be found at https://lnkd.in/guYSqv9X #SeattleAngels #NationalAngels #NFCM #FosterCare #Homelessness #SupportFosterCare

61% of former foster youth experiencing homelessness are likely to be incarcerated.* Close your eyes for a moment, and picture yourself at 18 years old. Imagine you have virtually no support system and no home. With no one to call, you're forced to navigate the streets of your city alone. No guidance. No safety net. Nowhere to belong. The odds are stacked against you. With your basic human needs going unmet, you begin to find ways to take care of yourself. When survival becomes a daily struggle – the risk of incarceration looms larger. It's a cycle that seems impossible to break. For 20,000 youth every year, this is the reality they face. But it doesn’t have to be this way. What if each one of them had someone to call? What if each one of them had years of one-on-one mentorship leading up to their 18th birthday? Our Dare to Dream® program matches youth ages 11-22 with mentors from their community. When young people have a support system and feel seen, valued, and hopeful about their futures – living on the streets becomes less likely. Mentors walk alongside and guide their mentees through developmental milestones like getting a driver’s license, building a resume, budget planning, and setting goals for the future. Guess what happens? Academic performance improves, confidence and self-worth goes up, healthy habits and critical life skills are built. Futures change. This is what our programs do. This changes everything. Everyone can be part of the solution. This is your invitation! When hundreds of individuals like you come together to invest $15/month, $25/month, $50/month – powerful and sustainable change becomes possible. Generational change becomes possible. YOU can have real ownership in that. Will you join us? *Statistical sources can be found at https://lnkd.in/guYSqv9X #SeattleAngels #FosterCare #NFCM #Homelessness #AngelAlliance #NationalAngels