Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund Hosts Detroit Fundraising Dinner

The Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund is hosting its annual Detroit fundraising dinner on Friday, September 12, to support young people who have experienced foster care in pursuing their higher education dreams. The event will feature powerful stories of resilience and achievement from Fostering Futures Scholarship recipients, including Raymond Miller, who is preparing for a career in aviation operations, and Ov'Var'Shia Gray-Woods, who graduated with a Master of Social Work from Wayne State University.

Key Takeaways:

• The Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund has been helping young people who experienced foster care pursue higher education for over a decade.
• The annual Detroit fundraising dinner will feature powerful stories of resilience and achievement from Fostering Futures Scholarship recipients.
• Raymond Miller, a student at Western Michigan University, is preparing for a career in aviation operations, and credits the scholarship with helping him stay focused on training and education without financial worries.
• Ov'Var'Shia Gray-Woods, a former recipient, credits the program with giving her the opportunity to believe in herself, pursue higher education, and ultimately prepare to advocate for the next generation of foster youth.
• Malik Yoba, actor, singer, and youth advocate, will lend his voice to encourage broader community support for foster youth.
• The event will include dinner, raffles, prizes, and networking opportunities with others who share a commitment to making higher education attainable for young people who have aged out of foster care.
• The Michigan Education Trust at the Department of Treasury, which oversees the Foster Futures Scholarship program, oversees the program and aims to bridge the gap for young people leaving foster care with big dreams but without the resources to make them a reality.
• Since 2012, Fostering Futures events have raised more than $1.4 million, with all funds awarded as scholarships within the same year.

Statistics:

• The Michigan foster care system serves approximately 10,000 young people.
• Nationally, it is estimated that between 69% and 85% of students who have experienced foster care complete high school by their mid-20s, and just 8% to 11% go on to earn a postsecondary degree (associate's or higher), five times lower than the national average.
• As of 2024, Ov'Var'Shia Gray-Woods had graduated with a Master of Social Work from Wayne State University.

Sources:

• Michigan State Government
• "Michigan Education Trust at the Department of Treasury"
• Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund