She was one day away from her eighteenth birthday and scared to death.
Jazmine Goode was performing brilliantly in her senior year of high school, weeks from speaking at her graduation ceremony. She had been accepted to Texas Woman’s University, aspired to become a medical professional, and was hours away from homelessness—all because of a date on the calendar.
Jazmine—“Jaz” as she is affectionately known—was facing a deadline common to teens in the foster care system: “aging out.”
The Crisis of Aging Out
“Aging out” of foster care typically occurs when a teen turns 18 without being adopted or reunited with their biological family. Every year, tens of thousands of teenagers face the same fear as Jaz.
Without support systems, financial preparedness, and sometimes even basic documentation like a birth certificate or social security card, these teens are left hopeless. Aged-out teens commonly experience homelessness, trafficking, addiction, and incarceration.
According to the National Foster Youth Institute (NFYI), over 20,000 youth age out of foster care across the nation each year. Typically there are over 1,000 per year in Texas alone.
A Renewed Hope
Thankfully, Jaz quickly found a new home at DIRECTION61:3.
This local organization serves youth ages 14-24 who have been in foster care. With houses in Collin, Denton, and Grayson counties, Jaz was able to join the program the day before she aged out.
Now Jaz is a senior at the University of North Texas, fully independent, and preparing for graduate school.
Despite qualifying for free tuition from Texas state-funded colleges, less than 3% of students who age out of foster care will earn a college degree in their lifetime according to the National Foster Youth Institute. Jaz is proof that with attentive love, invested support, and helpful guidance, youth aging out of foster care can defy the statistics in order to accomplish great things.
From a Dream to a Neighborhood
DIRECTION61:3 began with one home and a hope to serve young adults who have aged out of foster care. Now there are seven homes across North Texas, with big plans to grow.
The organization also has a 4.7-acre development in the McKinney area called “The Farm” that will add another 19 homes to serve these young adults. They have already broken ground on the first two homes.
Dr. Myron Wilson, the founder and executive director of DIRECTION61:3, has had the joy of seeing real life change happen in this program.
“Our name is taken from Isaiah 61:3, which talks about serving people who are oppressed and helping them to find purpose in life,” Wilson says. “That is why we exist as an organization.”
“THRIVE” is DIRECTION61:3’s weekly life skills and discipleship programming. Residents gather to share a meal and hear from local volunteers who share their careers, skills, and tips for thriving in adulthood.
For the residents, THRIVE is all about building a foundation of skills and knowledge in a judgement-free and supportive family environment. There is also an overarching message of faith in Jesus Christ as the center to a fruitful life.
To discover more about what this organization is doing to help local youth and find ways to get involved, visit DIRECTION613.org or text “INFO” to 79613.