Four young “peer navigators” from Fosterclub are contacting current and former foster youth and encouraging them to apply for the COVID-related emergency cash assistance by the program’s Sept. 30 deadline.
With more than $2 million in emergency funds up for grabs, only 63 young people have received funding through Oregon’s Pandemic Relief Funds Project administered by FosterClub, which is helping the state find some of its hardest-to-reach foster youth.
The nonprofit, with offices in Seaside and Washington, D.C., is deploying a team of young service workers with lived experience in foster care to reach out to their peers.
“There’s a wide range of support we have to offer youth,” said peer navigator Chy Nash, 21, who spent more than 11 years in foster care and is now helping FosterClub process applications for Oregon’s COVID relief funds.
“This job is a blessing,” Nash said. “I wish I had someone do something like this for me.”
The Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) announced nearly 4,000 young people between the ages of 14 and 26 may be eligible for the funding, including those who experienced foster care when they were 14 or older in Oregon; lived in a different state; or were part of a tribal nation’s child welfare agency.
The $2 million emergency cash assistance is part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in December. The federal funds are available to those who experienced foster care and are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
To reach as many young people as possible, ODHS contracted with FosterClub, which serves as a national network for youth who have experienced foster care.
In the first 45 days of processing applications, FosterClub team members in Oregon have helped disperse nearly $150,000 in funding to 63 young people.
“It’s not as high as we would like it,” said Celeste Bodner, FosterClub’s executive director. “It’s a hard-to-reach group.”
Bodner said Oregon’s Independent Living Program is connecting youth still in the system with available funds, while FosterClub is tasked with finding young people who have completely disconnected from the foster care system and may be experiencing homelessness.
“Young people with limited access to technology or email,” Bodner said. “We can’t call them. No one keeps a list of young people when they leave the foster care system.”
Bodner said the bulk of the funds need to be dispersed by Sept. 30. That funding will be followed by a second, smaller round of emergency funding stretching into 2022.
With about a month to go before the application deadline, FosterClub is determined to spread the word through bus banners, fliers and social media in both Portland and Eugene.
At this point, FosterClub’s team has received more than 400 applications. More than 100 of those applications are currently in the processing stage.
FosterClub relies on its peer navigators for that job since the navigators can relate to what the young people are experiencing.
Jaquelyn Reyes, who spent three years in foster care, said she identifies with many of their struggles.
“It touches my heart hearing these stories, knowing we’re doing everything we can to help them,” Reyes said.
The peer navigators work as a team on Zoom as they receive the applications, communicate with youths about their requests, and check on their eligibility — which is approved by staff members. Many of the applicants require additional social services and referrals.
“There are so many different situations with so many youths I’ve interacted with,” said Max Masse, 19, peer navigator. “A lot comes down to rent. You want to have a roof over your head; everyone wants that.”
As a supervisor, Bodner said she’s been struck with how some relatively insignificant costs can derail a young person’s life.
“It might not be a big expense, but it can turn into a downward spiral for those who don’t have the safety net of their family,” Bodner said.
Bodner said the COVID-19 relief funds provide some much-needed breathing room for young people who may be facing a cascading effect that can only be stopped with the infusion of cash.
“I can’t tell you how many email responses we’ve received that say ‘I feel like I have hope again, and I feel like I can get back on track,’” she said.
Bodner admits she’s surprised how well some young people are adapting to COVID-related challenges including job losses, evictions and remote learning.
“A lot of these people are just hanging on.” Bodner said, “The fact that some of these young people are staying on track with their college education is phenomenal to me.”
Nash said COVID-19 may have turned foster kids’ lives upside-down, but it’s comforting to know there are still people out there to help.
“I feel there’s a huge light at the end of the tunnel,” Nash said. “It gives people hope, and that’s what we need right now.”
To find out if you or someone you know is eligible for assistance through Oregon’s Pandemic Relief Funds Project, visit fosterclub.com//orhelp. You can also call FosterClub at 503-717-1552 for application assistance.