Our Cause
Children in foster care are the most vulnerable group in America. Nearly every societal problem our country faces–homelessness, trafficking, & overcrowded prisons–stems back to the ways we are failing our foster youth.
Brokenness permeates the foster care system. But there is no home for hopelessness at HOP. These numbers drive us forward to bring change to the lives they represent.
Foster Care Stats
407,000
children are in foster care in the U.S.
110,000
children are waiting for
a family to adopt them
64%
of children enter care
due to neglect
Each year, 20,000 children
age out of foster care without support
Over 35%
of children enter care due
to parental drug abuse
13%
enter care due to parental physical or mental health crisis that renders them unable to care for them
9%
enter care due to housing issues
21 months
The average amount of time spent in foster care
6%
spend 5 years or more in the system
80%
struggle with significant mental health issues–compared to 20% of the general populations
Aging Out of Foster Care
Each year, over
20,000
children age out of foster care with no support.
1 in 5
become instantly homeless
60%
end up in the sex industry
Only 50%
find gainful employment by 24
25%
are suffering from PTSD
1 in 4
enter the criminal justice system by age 21
Less
than 3%
earn a 4 year college degree
70% of young women
become pregnant by 21
50%
struggle with drug abuse
Institutional
Foster Care
Nearly 25,000
children live in institutional foster care
Kids placed in institutions:
experience higher rates of physical abuse.
Over 50%
will not finish high school
2.5x
more likely to enter the criminal justice system than their peers in foster care
Are most likely to age out of foster care without support
Human Trafficking
Many don’t realize just how flourishing the human trafficking industry is in the U.S.
It has the
Largest Market
for sex in the world.
It ranks in the
Top 3
countries of origin for trafficking victims
The global human trafficking market generates
$150 BILLION
annually.
There is an estimated
40.3 MILLION
victims of human trafficking in the world, 1 in 4 are children
You become more vulnerable to trafficking when your needs aren’t met. This is true of adults, and it’s especially true of children. Children living in foster care who feel abandoned, worthless, alone, and hopeless are easier to lure into trafficking and less likely to have people looking for them.
Only a very small percentage of trafficking victims are rescued, making it difficult to know the extent to which children in foster care are victimized. However, we can see from the demographics of those who are rescued that children in foster care–especially those in group homes–are at very high risk of being trafficked:
97%
In 2012, Connecticut reported 97% of sex trafficking victims were child wellfare involved.
60%
In 2013, 60% of children recovered from sex trafficking as part of a nationwide FBI raid in 70 cities were in foster care when they went missing.
55%
In Alameda County, 55% of children rescued from sex trafficking over a year were in group foster homes when they went missing
77%
In Los Angeles County, of all commercially sexually exploited girls, 77% were child welfare involved.
Foster Care to
Prison Pipeline
Children in foster care are much more likely than their peers to be involved in the criminal justice system as children and as adults.
justice system
within two years of
leaving care
youth have significant
mental health issues
vs 20% of the general
population
placements will
enter the criminal
justice system
and criminalization
"You may choose to look away, but you can never again say that you did not know."
Join the Hope Army
Being a part of the Hope Army means joining a compassionate community united by a powerful mission: ensuring every child has the warmth and stability of a loving home. As a member of the Hope Army, you become an advocate, a voice that echoes with hope, love, and unwavering support for foster children. Your involvement signifies a commitment to making a tangible difference, whether through generous donations, heartfelt advocacy, or volunteering. In the Hope Army, every effort counts, every voice matters, and every contribution brings us closer to transforming lives and fulfilling the promise of a nurturing home for every child in need. Together, in solidarity and purpose, the Hope Army marches towards a future where every child thrives in the embrace of a loving family and community.
We exist to instill hope in children who have only known the intense instability of foster care by emulating the unconditional love of a healthy family to them.
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