Testimony on Senate Bill 182: Foster to College Scholarships

Ohio foster care youth, alumni and allies continue to share their voices to advocate for companion bills House Bill 164 and Senate Bill 182. Many thanks to ACTION Ohio ally member Kim Eckhart and to the Junior League of Columbus for their tireless efforts.

These two bills mirror one another in their efforts to enact sections 3301.95 and 3333.89 of the Revised Code to establish the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program, to require the Department of Education to hire a full-time school foster care liaison, and to make an appropriation for the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program.

House Bill 164 has 58 co-sponsors, and on June 12, 2024, it passed in the Ohio House of Representatives with a vote of 84 in favor and three against. So, current efforts are focused on supporting the Senate version.

2024 Leadership and Life Skills Summit

 

Link to more photos.

The Leadership and Life Skills Summit took place on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at the Crowne Plaza North. This was Ohio's first statewide life skills summit for current and former foster youth since the pandemic. For the past five years, Ohio foster care youth and alumni have been brainstorming about how to make this event happen once again. Last year’s Self Care Summit was to help lay that groundwork.

The purpose of this event is to inform and empower young people (ages 14-24) who have experienced out of home care. We received RSVPs from Allen, Athens, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Cuyahoga, Delaware, Franklin, Geauga, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Lake, Licking, Lorain, Lucas, Mahoning, Miami, Montgomery, Pike, Preble, Putnam, Ross, Vinton, Sandusky, Summit, Trumbull and Warren Counties. 

We are deeply grateful to the Ohio Children’s Alliance for partnering with us on the Aging Out Institute grant, which covered the cost of meals during this event. We also truly appreciate those who have supported the gathering, transport and distribution of Suits for Success. Without Velda Hofacker, Bethany Workman, Sarah Saunders, Jaye Turner, and an amazing team of staff volunteers from the Department of Children and Youth, successful transportation of approximately 950 brand new clothing items would have been impossible. 

This summit embodied “lived experience” because every workshop reflects the insights and input of current and former foster youth. Nine of the 11 workshops were facilitated or co-facilitated by current or former foster youth. There was also a learning track for with CEUs for adults who transported youth. Adults were required to transport youth in order to be eligible. 

Suits Sorting Day, Part 5

On Friday, May 24, 2024, Lisa Dickson and Bethany Workman prepared, bagged and packed up as many items as we could for transport on June 10, 2024 (the day before the Summit).

Thanks to Velda, we now have 500+ items of clothing for young women, in addition to the 300+ brand new clothing donations for young men.
 

Suits Sorting Day, Part 4

Deeply grateful to Velda Hofacker for providing women's clothing for the 2024 Leadership and Life Skills Summit, and for coming in two extra Fridays in May to help sort Suits.  

Suit Sorting Day, Part 3

As we prepare for the June 11th statewide Leadership and Life Skills Summit for current and former foster youth, ages 14-24...

We are deeply grateful that we are receiving clothing for young women, in addition to the 300+ brand new clothing items for young men.

Link to more photos.

Suit Sorting Day Part 2

On Friday, March 15, 2024, ACTION Ohio facilitated a second Suits Sorting Day at Buckeye Ranch. We were deeply grateful to have Velda Hofacker, a long-time supporter of this effort, and her friends assist. 

Link to more photos.

Second Suits for Success pickup in Chillicothe

On Friday, March 8, 2024, with help from the wonderful Kristy Mullins and Tonya Gephard, Lisa was able to pick up the remaining men's professional clothing items from the Veteran Housing Program in Chillicothe. They had received a large donation of brand new suits from Men’s Wearhouse, and weren’t able to distribute the smaller sizes so they donated them to us for foster youth.

ACTION Ohio has ordered 10 wheeled clothing racks and will do another Suit Sorting this month. News to come in the future regarding young women’s clothing drive. All items will be freely available for current and former Ohio foster youth during the statewide Leadership and Life Skills Summit in June.