*Nearly 500,000 youth are in foster care system in the United States and 50,000 reside in California.

*Youth age out of the foster care system between age 18 and 21 depending on the state they live in.

*20% of use transitioning out of foster care system are a mediately homeless and nearly 50% are homeless with and 18 month.

*50% of Foster youth do not graduate from high school in less than 3% every earn a college degree 50% of former foster youth health annual income less than $6000.

*Nearly 70% of girls will leave the foster care system become pregnant by age 21.

*Newly 70% of all state prison inmates were once in the foster care system.

Sex traffic youth/CSCC Dash commercial sexual exploitation of children

*Approximately 300,000 American children are trafficked 4six with in the United States each year.

*Approximately 80% of the sex trafficked victims come from the foster care system.

*The average age of these victims is 11 to 14.

*Nearly 80% of the transactions for sex with these children begin on the Internet.

When we become aware of these daunting statistics existing with in our very midst… When we realize that each statistic represents the life of one of our youth… When we understand the societal and generational implications of weird these statistics lead…

*Financially support two local homes for trafficked girls to escape from “the life” and receive the multi-year assistance and therapy necessary to learn to survive and thrive in their new life!

*Co-sponsored a newly created and specially designed (by formally trafficked victims) interrogation room used by local law-enforcement officials when they interview girls arrested for prostitution who are victims, not criminals.

*Financially support and co-sponsor a formally sex trafficked child, who works with governmental agencies and law enforcement officials (locally and nationally) – educating and training each on how to effectively interact with and help children of sex trafficking who are victims, not criminals.

*Financially support educational and transportation needs for girls who become ready and are able to transition to their new lives (necessary supplies, monetary scholarships, and donated vehicles). Personal life mentoring and Christ centered spiritual shepherding also occurs in some cases.

Skillz4Life is in it’s eight consecutive year of coming alongside of, and presently serving some of the youth represented by these heart wrenching statistics. Highlights of some of our ongoing activities and financial support include:

Foster youth

*Monthly life skills workshops are held at Orangewood Children’s Foundation and designed to help prepare for us to use who are aging out of the foster care system to become successfully independent. Nearly 4000 youth have attended these workshops to date where they received dinner, homemade desserts, gender specific toiletry items, and life skills training.

*Sharing of the gospel, providing educational and employment guidance and support, along with ongoing personal mentoring and accountability occur with some of the youth.