CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Every year, at least 20,000 youths age out of the U.S. foster care system. In 2016, Jaquon Dean became one of them.
"I was bouncing around from abandoned house to abandoned house," Dean said.
He later looked to his 2013 Cadillac CTS for shelter. At that point, Dean was unhoused for about four years.
"It's very tough and there were three different times I took steps to end it all, but luckily it was unsuccessful because I was supposed to be here.," Dean said.
Data published in Foster Focus magazine shows between 40% to 50% of foster kids who exit the system face this same issue, left homeless and hopeless.
"They’re just out here," Donna Reed, with the nonprofit Homes4Me, said.
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Reed said they're working to tackle the issue by partnering with Livingstone College to eliminate the concerns of homelessness for teens aging out of foster care who desire to earn a bachelor’s degree.
"At 18 years old they’re still kids and if they’ve shifted in the system even on their 18 birthday, they age out," Reed said.
Reed said 84% of our teens in foster care desire to attend college, but less than 3% go and less than 1% graduate.
To change that, Reed has been pouring resources into young adults like Dean, helping get them enrolled in school.
Since then Dean has maintained a 4.0 GPA recently receiving his white coat.
He gained one of his best accessories, alongside one of his biggest cheerleaders.
"We got them because we become their family," Reed said.
If you or a loved one are facing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help readily available. You can call Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat with them online. There are also resources in North Carolina available here and in South Carolina available here.
Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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