Meet Celeste, a 22-year who lived in foster care since age 14. While residing in a foster group home, she received a mentor through Fostering Great Ideas’ Life Support mentoring program. Her mentor saw something in Celeste she couldn’t see in herself – potential. The mentor took Celeste on college trips and introduced her to the S.A.T. The mentor, also a foster parent, invited Celeste to move in with her family. For Celeste, this was too much. She wasn’t ready to believe in herself or trust that someone cared about her. She ran away, back to the group home. But, her mentor stayed and continued to work on the relationship.
Over 6 years, Celeste learned to trust that this mentor would not leave. Celeste began to think of her mentor as family, even calling her Mom. In fact, this commitment became permanent – the mentor and her family are adopting Celeste, at the age of 22. Celeste, now a mom of a beautiful two-year-old girl, is thriving. She has learned to trust in herself and to build solid relationships with others.
Thanks to Fostering Great Ideas’ Life Support mentoring initiative, Celeste was able to envision a future of hope. She enrolled at Greenville Tech, determined to finish her college degree. Knowing she has a family to support her has made all the difference. In fact, Celeste was recently recommended for the college Honors Program and is a steering committee member of FGI’s College Fellows, supporting students from foster care to succeed in college.
The future already seems brighter for this young woman.
Fostering Great Ideas: bringing hope to children in care.
