Fostering Independence helping
students lacking parental support
By Maria Lindsay
BATH — A Bath woman grateful for
her lot in life is working to help those who are not so lucky.
Cecilia O’Donnell, a mother of
five, said she learned of a need to help youth emancipating from foster care by
a friend who volunteers for RAHAB Ministries, located in Fairlawn.
“That put a spark in my head,”
she said. “I remember that while I was in high school, a friend of mine was
kicked out of her home in the middle of her senior year by her biological
mother. I can’t imagine being only 18 and on your own.”
As a result, in February 2017 she
started Fostering Independence Inc., a nonprofit volunteer organization that
provides resources, mentoring and support to at-risk, emancipated youth
transitioning from foster care and to those that lack parental support who are
pursuing life goals through higher education or job skills training. O’Donnell
said SCORE officials helped her get a 501(c)(3) designation for the
organization and she now serves as its executive director.
“There is a huge need in Summit
County for kids aging out of foster care,” said O’Donnell. “Summit County
Children Services has done a great job, but they need help to help these kids.”
O’Donnell said in Summit County,
29 foster children aged out in July and about five more aged out since then.
She added shortly after the organization was formed, she quickly expanded its
scope to include those a little younger than age 18 and young adults who do not
have parental support.
“There are also 250 homeless
students who lack parental support for various reasons in Akron Public Schools
as identified through Project RISE,” said O’Donnell. “They live in homeless shelters
or are couch surfing. These kids are so vulnerable to the piranhas out there
and especially to sex trafficking.”
O’Donnell stated the students
need material things in addition to mentoring that will help them get through
their senior year at high school.
According to O’Donnell, the
organization helps these students by offering household and kitchen items,
hygiene products, cleaning supplies, new bedding and towels and more. This
year, the organization received a grant from WITAN to help fulfill the needs of
various requests. It also helped 13 high school graduates by giving them
college supplies.
O’Donnell added she works with
Maria Paparella, of Chair-ity, which supplies beds and other furniture items to
the students, as well as caseworkers at Summit County Children Services, the
court system and Project RISE, to identify those in need.
“I really love kids and I love
teenagers — they have such great ideas and they are so optimistic,” said
O’Donnell. “I am too fortunate and too blessed not to reach out and help these
kids. They are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves — they just need
opportunities through mentorship.”
O’Donnell said she would like to
add mentoring to the organization’s services and reach students at a younger
age and is in need of volunteers to accomplish this goal.
The organization accepts new or
very gently used household items such as dishes, flatware, cups, glasses, pots
and pans, cooking utensils, toasters, microwave ovens, kitchen towels, cleaning
supplies, bedding, bath towels, first aid kits, flashlights, dorm supplies and
more. The items can be dropped off at Today’s Bride, located at 1930 N.
Cleveland-Massillon Road.
A wish list of needed items can
be found at www.fosteringindependence.net or the organization’s Facebook page.
Area residents, schools, churches
and youth groups can also host a collection drive or organize fundraisers to
support the purchase of items from the wish list, she said.
O’Donnell stated Dr. Thomas
Semans, a dentist located at 2660 W. Market St., Suite 200, held a collection
drive in May for the organization, raised over $1,650 and accepted a number of
items. The business has offered to do this annually, she added.
In addition, the organization’s
Sept. 28 Ante Up for the Kids Casino Night fundraiser drew over 60 supporters
and surpassed its fundraising goal of $8,000 to collect $12,700.
“We are overwhelmed by the
support that we received to provide supplies for the young adults’ apartments
and dorm needs,” said O’Donnell.
The organization is also seeking
volunteers to make deliveries, mentor youth and assist with bookkeeping. Also
needed is someone to serve on the organization’s board. To volunteer, email
fosteringindependencevolunteer@gmail.com.