From Aging Out to Rising Up: Aaron’s Story
Hi, Dream Makers community!
We’re back this month to celebrate your uncommon courage, resilience, determination, and compassion by highlighting another one of your stories. As you read about other aged-out youth who are seeing their dreams come to life, we hope you’ll feel inspired to keep going after yours!
Aaron spent 13 years in the foster care system before aging out at 18 — a turning point that brought more questions than answers. Like so many former foster youth, Aaron faced an uphill battle transitioning to adulthood with no family safety net. His greatest challenges? “Housing, homelessness, barriers to fresh food, and poor mental health,” he says candidly.
Without a support system to guide him into independent living, the early years were marked by financial hardship and emotional isolation. “I remember sitting up at night wishing I had a magic wand to grant me a car so I wouldn’t have to take four-hour bus rides, or a million dollars so I didn’t have to choose between groceries or paying credit card bills,” Aaron shares. “I felt like I was drowning.”
One vital lifeline came through a college-based support program for former foster youth, which provided Aaron with a full scholarship along with personal, academic, and financial guidance. “It was more than just funding,” he reflects. “The staff took a genuine interest in me and made sure my cup was full. They connected me with wraparound resources and helped reduce the financial strain that could have derailed me.”
That support helped Aaron earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Linguistics — a milestone that marked a shift in his mindset. “Once I had that little piece of paper with my name on it, I knew I could finally start making a real difference in my life,” he says. “I wouldn’t let a season of hardship ruin a lifetime of achievement.”
Aaron also found meaningful support through Dream Makers, who provided resources that had a direct impact on his day-to-day life. A gift from Dream Makers helped him purchase a new phone — a tool that’s been essential in his full-time work supporting over 120 young adults navigating life after foster care. “It’s a powerful reminder that I’m not walking this path alone,” Aaron wrote. “There are people and communities who genuinely want to see former foster youth succeed and thrive.”
Today, Aaron is working full-time in case management and has set his sights on earning an MBA. His long-term goal? To move into nonprofit leadership — coordinating teams, supporting his community, and helping others the way he was helped. “I’ve always had empathy,” he says, “but my experiences and the people I’ve met have refined that part of me. I want to do for others what’s been done for me.”
As you’re facing your own challenges, we pray that Aaron offers you encouragement and hope. His story reminds us that even when the odds are stacked against you, with the right support and relentless determination, a new future is always within reach.
We believe in you!
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