We are Kathleen and Robert Raskin of Las Vegas, and our family’s personal story of DHR corruption has compelled us to raise awareness of the shortcomings of the foster care and justice systems. The average young adult will need to rely upon their families for financial and emotional support until they are 26 years of age. Imagine turning eighteen and being left on your own, with no one to turn to for help if you needed it and no family to visit on holidays? For the 23,000 young adults who age out of the system each year, this is their reality, but all of us can do our parts to help.

Assistance Is Available

Being removed from the home of a loving family is just the first of many tragedies that potentially await foster children. For many, they will never return to their families, instead being left to age out of the system with little community support. Studies have shown that adults who aged out of the foster care system are more at risk for arrest, incarceration, and homelessness, and most do not graduate college.

Most communities have organizations that are committed to helping former foster children who have aged out of the system, either by providing financial assistance, shelter, mentoring, mental health care, career coaching, resource tool kits,  care packages, academic guidance, job training, and even birthday and holiday cards. There are also national organizations that are dedicated to this cause. We, Kathleen and Robert Raskin, want to remind you that a simple online search will tell you which organizations are available and in-need of donations in your area, and many have regular monthly donation options available that you can just set and forget.