Molly

Molly remembers feeling lonely and upset when she first entered foster care at the age of 10. Her sense of stability was challenged with every move between group homes. She found it difficult to make new friends and focus in school. “Constantly moving around- you don’t know where you are going and what is going to happen to you.” It wasn’t until she was placed with her current foster family 6 years ago that she finally had the stability she longed for.

When she turned 16, her foster family encouraged her to go B:E’s life skills workshops. With the engaging workshops, fun events, and supportive coaches, Molly was able to graduate from high school.

“B:E staff are always supporting me…It’s important to me because it makes me feel like people do care about me as a person rather than another foster youth.”

B:E helped Molly enroll at Berkeley City College, fill out financial aid and scholarship applications.

Now at 19 years old, Molly has built a close group of friends at B:E and is often humming a new song or sharing her poetry. With the support and resources she found at B:E Molly is looking forward to her future , “I want to work to show the world that foster youth are more than just a statistic, they are bright and wonderful, and they deserve the world just like everyone else.”

Molly will represent Alameda County foster youth at the annual statewide Summer Leadership and Policy Conference advocating for other young people with experience in foster care so that they get the stability they deserve.

CLICK HERE to read Molly’s poetry- Day by Day.