Think back. As a teenager or young adult, who helped you open your first bank account? Who advised you about buying a car for the first time? Who taught you how to scramble eggs or cook a simple meal for yourself?
Perhaps this person was a parent. Perhaps a grandparent, aunt or uncle. Perhaps a teacher or pastor. But at least for most of us, we had a person we could count on to help us learn, to help us sort through decisions and obstacles – big and small – as we entered adulthood.
For most teens aging out of the foster care system, at 18 they are suddenly and abruptly on their own. Many of them have experienced multiple placements but no stable home. No one to teach them basic life skills or prompt them to explore educational or vocational opportunities beyond high school. And no one to call for a shoulder to cry on, to look for a word of encouragement, to ask a simple question or for just a little help. No one.
CASA Child Advocates of Montgomery County is ready to help. It’s time to do something to support this vulnerable youth population!
Game of Life Simulation is part of larger CASA4Teens Initiative
As just one part of our much larger CASA4Teens initiative, CASA Child Advocates of Montgomery County will be hosting a “Game of Life” simulation on Saturday, August 3, 2019 for teens in foster care.
We raised over $3,700 in less than 24 hours in support of this fantastic, inaugural event. Thank you to all of the donors who helped!
Thank you, Donors!
- Lisa Gedmin
- Peyton Wright
- Joel and Toni Speights
- Terry and Hal Meyer
- Luanne & Steve Bozeman
- Reid Gettys
- Chip Casey
- Paul and Barbara Aiello
- Jim Cain
- Tiffany and Brian Goodwin
- Lisa Baeckel
- Rob and Christine Johnson
- Rose Mary Bundscho
- Ann Sullivan
- Sara Hudson
- And three generous, anonymous donors!
About the Game of Life Simulation
The Game of Life (GOL) event is a simulated walk-through event for teens in foster care. The event is being planned by CASA with volunteers from Child Protective Services’ Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) program staff to supplement their classroom instruction.
Our goal is to reach as many teens as possible (aged 14 to 18) to promote successful futures. We want to reduce the number of former foster youth who experience homelessness, become addicted to substances, and become parents before they are ready. We want to arm them with knowledge and resources!
We are expecting 120 teens to participate. They will be separated into groups of 10 to 15 and they will walk through their “Game of Life”. At each stop will be a presenter who will teach them about that subject for 15 minutes. The group of teens will then progress to the next presenter.
This is the first Game of Life event, but we hope to begin offering this twice a year.
Participating youth will learn about the following from the providers themselves:
1. Lone Star College-Navigators program to discuss their program and college life,
2. Sam Houston State University-Forward program to discuss their program and college life,
3. Health and Human Services, Baptist Child and Family Services: financial aid and benefits specialist,
4. HEB: benefits of employment and higher education incentives after 6 months of employment,
5. Cadence Bank: how to open a checking account,
6. Milstead Auto: basic auto maintenance,
7. United Against Human Trafficking: teen outreach program,
8. Gary Job Corps Center: learn more about the nation’s largest free education and job training program for young adults,
9. Montgomery County Food Bank: hands-on cooking demonstrations,
10. Martti Cade: budgeting basics,
11. Lease Term Solutions Housing Specialist: discussing the process of leasing an apartment (includes hand-out from The HAY Center Housing Specialist with information on the housing benefits available to foster youth),
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- $25 will provide a teen with a mini cook book
- $50 will provide 12 teens with lunch during the event
- $100 will provide 10 teens with take-home materials, resources, and contact information that will help them long after the event is over
We reached our fundraising goal! Thank you, Donors!
For more information about the “Game of Life” Simulation Event, please email Leslie at Leslie@CASASpeaks4Kids.com.
Learn more about the CASA4Teens initiative here.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CASA CHILD ADVOCATES OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY HERE!
