THE NEED IN FLORIDA

• Young adults aging out have experienced multiple foster care placements or group home placements. A young adult “ages out” on their 18th birthday, unless they are in extended foster care, when 21 years old becomes when they age out.

• In 2021, 312 young adults were in extended foster care on their 19th birthday

• Only 7% of the 6,754 youth from 14-21 years old had a mentor in the state of Florida in 2021. That number has never been higher than 9% since 2016

• 10-20 young adults age out every month in the tri-county area of Orange, Seminole, and Osceola counties in Florida. There is an urgent need in our area for more mentors!

• Only 37% of eligible young adults are enrolled in postsecondary education at age 21 in Florida, and the number dropped 61% from 2016 to 2021 in Florida. ALUM believes our mentoring can make a difference in raising this number!