Born Without a Name, Elijah’s Story
Not every foster child finds a family. The forgotten ones grow up alone in the faceless embrace of bureaucracy. Waiting and wishing, like runts in a litter of kittens staring hopelessly out of an emptying box. Elijah Callender is one of those people. Like the others, the state covered his eyes and clutched him tightly until his 21st birthday. Then it dropped him.
Brittny
Photos and Video by William Vazquez Aging out of Foster Care, Brittny’s Story from William Vazquez on Vimeo. Brittny’s mother and father were unable to care for her and she passed back and forth between her parents and grandparents. It was her grand parents that finally put her into foster care. While in foster care [...]
Krista, Healing on the High Seas
Story and Photos by Heather Walsh When Krista was a child her parents were unable to care for her and her older sister. At the ages of 5 and 9, the sisters were placed into foster care for 8 years. As a teen she returned to her family, after years of being shuffled between family [...]
Shirley +3, Aging-Out of Foster Care in NYC
Story and Photos by Alejandra Villa We are still waiting for the reporter to complete this stoy. in the meantime here is a summary: At the age of 3, Shirley was abandoned by her mother, for the next 11 years, she bounced from home to home under the care of her father who will regularly [...]
Tunisia to the Bronx, Fekri’s Journey.
Story By Tommy Hallissey Photography by Bruce Byers Without a word, Fekri’s disarming, toothy smile betrays the suffering he endured coming of age in the New York City foster care system. Those crooked pearly whites hide the agony of being sold into slavery in Tunisia at the age of 5 for $100. Without parents to [...]
Andre’s Story, Aging-Out of Foster Care in NYC
Story by Patricia Paine Photos by Matthew Furman Andre is 21 years old. He’s a friendly guy who masks his difficult upbringing with an offhand snicker. The details are foggy as he recounts his start in the foster care program. He and his two younger brothers were living with his father’s mother. Their father had [...]
Linda’s Story, Aging Out of Foster Care in NYC
Story by Carrie Vining Spanier Photos by Ian Spanier Upon meeting Linda J., I was immediately struck by her confidence and overall presence. We spoke as if she had known me for years. She shared as if I were her confidant. Twenty one-year-old Linda, was thrust into the foster care system at the tender age [...]
Aquarianne’s story.
Story by Amy Sernatinger Photos by Yvonne Allaway Aquarianne is expecting me, so before I have the chance to knock she opens the door with wide eyes and a broad smile. The radio is playing from inside, sweeping music across the floors and ceiling. A small child pops out from behind her mother’s leg. If [...]