Young adults who have experienced foster care on or after their 13th birthday now have more time to apply for a scholarship from the Fostering Futures Scholarship Trust Fund, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury. The department says the deadline to apply is now August 1. The Michigan Education Trust’s Diane Brewer told us earlier this year the Fostering Futures program pays for tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies at a degree-granting college or university for young people coming out of foster care.
“Approximately 70% of students who come out of foster care would like to attend college,” Brewer said. “The percentage that actually will go on to college is about 10%, and of that, less than 3% will graduate, and a lot of that has to do with the expense of college.”
Brewer said the Fostering Futures program is funded with donations. Since 2012, fundraising efforts have totaled more than $1.3 million. The next fundraising event will be a pizza Party on the Michigan State Capitol Lawn on August 5 with Hungry Howie’s providing the food. You can find out more about the program right here.
