Homes of Hope
or HOH, is an internship program that is established to assist 18 – 20 year old young adults who are in the process of or have previously aged out of the Kansas foster care system. This program is an essential piece to making sure teens and young adults are empowered to transition into adult life after leaving foster care.
HOH asks each intern to commit to spend 6 months alongside mentors of FHFTC.
During the six months, interns will be equipped with resources and support to further/complete their education, whether that be finishing high school, attaining a GED or applying for a college education. Transportation will be made available.
Interns will have the ability to become confident in Personal Finance through the program as they learn how to set up a monthly budget, acquire/manage a checking account, and pay bills.
HOH offers these young adults many opportunities to develop and master important social skills as they engage with mentors, public, and each other on a regular basis.
What makes this program successful are the mentors that teach, care for and support the interns.
Interns will also spend time learning additional skills needed for living on their own:
- Applying for a job
- Creating a resume
- How to complete a job application
- How to dress and conduct themselves during an interview
- Questions they may want to ask a prospective employer
- How to keep the job they landed
- Prioritizing income vs. expenses, wants vs. needs,
- Setting up a debit/checking and savings accounts
Setting both short term and long term life goals in:
- Physical / Health
- Work / Career
- Financial
- Educational
- Personal Relationships
- Family
- Etc
Hands on daily life skills:
- Basic home and building repairs
- Grounds-keeping
- Housekeeping skills
- Basic mechanical skills
- Food preparation
The goal of Homes of Hope is for an intern leaving the program at the end of their stay to have a firm grasp of basic and necessary skills they need. They should be prepared to become productive, contributing citizens in their communities and be well on the way to overcoming their past.
Current Challenges
Homes of Hope is designed as a full-time living situation. The budget per intern provides housing, food and all other life essentials. Because of this financial need, HOH is a greater cost than any other program currently in existence at FHFTC.
Though the monetary need is great, the lasting impact is certainly greater for the individuals participating in Homes of Hope. Acquiring the funds for this is something we at FHFTC take very seriously. Our goal is to help teens become all they can despite what their past may dictate. We know there is hope for them and we are assured this is the right way to accomplish that.
How You Can Help
As HOH continues to grow anything you can give, whether your time or valuable financial contribution, is greatly and truly appreciated.