Alyze's Story

Programs like Fostering Success and Significance (FSS) play a vital role in the lives of students who have experienced foster care or homelessness. By providing scholarships, mentorship, and workshops, FSS gives these students the guidance, support, and resources they need to navigate college, build independence, and pursue their dreams. Stories like Alyze’s show just how transformative this support can be.

 

 

Alyze, a student at Sacramento City College, is majoring in Social Work—a path inspired by her own journey through foster care and homelessness.
“My experience in foster care and experiencing homelessness made me want to help other youth who go through similar challenges and be someone they can turn to for support,” she says.

 

Foster care taught Alyze to be independent from a young age. “It wasn’t always easy, but it made me more mature and motivated to create stability for myself. It also gave me a big heart for helping others who come from similar backgrounds.”

 

College brought new challenges. “One of the biggest was struggling with homelessness during my transition into college,” she shares. “I didn’t have stable housing or family guidance, so I had to figure out everything alone while trying to stay focused in school. It was overwhelming at first, but it pushed me to become extremely resourceful.”

 

A friend at the shelter where Alyze once lived told her about FSS, a program that supports youth who have been in foster care. “At the time, I was actively looking for resources, and they helped connect me to FSS,” she says.

 

Mentorship has been the most impactful part of her FSS experience. “Having guidance and real support from someone who understands my background has made a big difference. It’s helped me feel less alone and more confident in planning my future and making the right decisions.”

 

Through FSS workshops, Alyze has gained valuable life skills like financial literacy, goal setting, and time management. “These workshops helped me better prepare for real-life situations that school doesn’t always teach, especially as someone building independence without family support.”

 

Her goals are to complete her degree, build a stable career helping at-risk youth, and eventually give back by mentoring others.

 

Her advice for other foster youth:

“Don’t be afraid to ask for help and take advantage of every resource available. Stay consistent, stay open to support, and remember that your past does not define your future.”