Rise Above Foundation

Fostering Connections

Foster Care Alumni of America

Foster Club

National Foster Care Coalition

Leaving Care in Massachusetts: Policy and Supports to Facilitate the Transition to Adulthood

As a start-up organization, Rise Above relies

on its 10-member working board of directors, interns

and dozens of community volunteers. Its current annual

budget is raised from foundations and corporations

(40%), individuals (40%) and fundraising events (20%).

85% of the organization’s expenses directly fund child

activity requests, which average $250 per child served.

Rise Above leverages partnerships with the local

businesses that provide the activities for children for

discounts: on average, one-third of the cost of activities

Too often, foster families and the state do not have

the financial resources for extracurricular activities

for foster children. As a result, the majority of youth

in foster care miss out on activities, like sports and

music, that can help them overcome incredibly

difficult circumstances and improve their emotional

and physical wellbeing. For these children, most

victims of abuse or neglect, participating in sports,

music and camp with their peers is critical for them

to grow into healthy adults.

Rise Above empowers Massachusetts youth in the

foster care system to “rise above” their situation and

challenges and gives them opportunities to pursue a