Current Projects
Serving the Needs of Youth in Foster and Kinship Care
For the past 100 years, JLI has strived to effect lasting change in the lives of children and families through community grants, service projects, and volunteer hours. In 2022 and beyond, we are focusing our volunteer and charitable resources on supporting youth in foster and kinship care.
Each year, approximately 20,000 foster youth age out of the system, 20% of whom have an increased risk of instant homelessness. In 2020, in Indiana, there were more than 13,000 youth in foster care, a high concentration of whom reside in Marion County. Additionally, 5,500 children in Indiana are in kinship care, which is care provided by a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other family member who is not their parent. These relatives receive little to no funding or support services.
The Junior League of Indianapolis will approach the problem with well-designed strategies for change. We are working to cultivate relationships with community partners that are already committed to working with foster youth and youth in kinship care and identify opportunities for advocacy, fundraising, and other philanthropic endeavors. We will also use our community grants program to assist nonprofits that support these populations.
Questions? Email community@jlindy.org