Some of us start getting excited about back-to-school season the moment the school supply displays go up. At Wellroot, we have even more to celebrate this year, thanks to your generous support. One hundred young people connected to Wellroot are stepping onto campuses across Georgia with $218,500 in scholarship support behind them, turning potential into a plan. Ten recipients are past or present residents of Wellroot’s Transitional Living Program, young adults who built a path to college while learning to build a life of their own.
Amariah speaks at Wellroot Family Services’ annual This Is Home Gala.
Amariah is one of them. In April, she stood before longtime Wellroot supporters at the Wellroot Gala and shared what it took to get here. She entered foster care at sixteen and did not meet her foster parents until a year later. Through Wellroot’s Independent Living Program, she found direction, budgeting skills, and people who believed in her before she fully believed in herself. Amariah completes her studies at Shearz Beauty Institute this November, when she sits for her cosmetology board exam to earn her master cosmetology license.
Julian and De’Andre celebrate earning their high school diplomas with graduation gift bags provided by Totalis Program Underwriters.
De’Andre, known to friends as Dre, begins classes this month at Georgia State Perimeter College, pursuing his passion for film that started with editing videos for his brother’s YouTube channel. He earned an Adobe certification in high school and will soon be working part-time at Waffle House. Dre spent years in foster care moving between schools and says he often felt like he never quite belonged anywhere. Transitional Living gave him a caseworker who listened, and the stability to imagine a future built around what he loves.
Julian is charting his own path toward a dream job, animator for Disney. A talented sketch artist who works in both traditional and digital media, he has applied to Atlanta Technical College’s August semester for art and design.
Stories like these depend on people who show up between the big moments. Your gifts fund the life coaches and education support specialists who help residents apply for college, prepare for interviews, and manage a budget. Volunteers from corporations and churches add another layer of support by sharing their time, experience, and encouragement.
If you have not heard of the Fostering Success tax credit, now is a good time to check it out! It lets Georgia taxpayers redirect their state tax dollars to fund programs like Transitional Living and receive a 100% credit back on. Visit wellroot.org to learn more.
