Cold, hungry, alone, feeling unwanted, jobless and homeless. These are all things that foster teens experience once they turn 18. According to FosterClub, 75,000 former foster children, who have aged out of the system, will experience homelessness as early as the age of 18. That means when most young adults are just starting college, thousands of homeless young adults must fend for themselves. They will have no money for college, which is why, according to the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, “fewer than three percent will earn a college degree by age 25.”

These foster teens need help, and that is why Amelia Stastney, junior and president of Students Helping Impact Foster Teens (SHIFT), decided to bring the club to Homestead this year. Homestead had a similar club, Kids for Kids, for about eight years, and it became very popular until its conclusion two years ago.

SHIFT came up with ideas for fundraisers, such as chuck-a-puck, which will occur at one of the home games for Homestead hockey and HomesTED talks, videos in which teachers will speak on topics of their choice.

The group has made some suggestions for activities to do with the teens, including going to the movies, making art projects and playing sports outside. SHIFT is hoping to do one-on-one activities, so they can get to know each individual on a more personal level. “Making meaningful connections and developing friendships with the teens is super important to us,” Stastney said.

“A child’s chance of adoption plunges after the age of five, from one in three when a child is four or younger, to one in 15 after their fifth birthday,” the Department for Education revealed. That means that many kids will be stuck in the foster care system until they turn 18, and then they are forced to live on their own. That is why SHIFT finds it so crucial to impact their lives now while they are still young, so that they can learn and benefit from this experience.

“If there were one goal for this club, it would be to bring awareness to foster care and its injustices,” Stastney said.

“I feel it’s important to give all kids the same kind of opportunities and experiences, so being able to spend time with foster kids in southeastern Wisconsin is amazingly rewarding,” Lindsey Scozzafave, junior and vice president, said.

SHIFT meetings are every two weeks, and all are welcome to come. SHIFT has its own Facebook page and website for more information about the club.