Foster Care Alumni of America: A History of Advocacy and Community

Foster Care Alumni of America (FCAA) stands as a testament to the power of lived experience and the importance of community. This organization has emerged as a leading voice in child welfare reform, driven by the insights and expertise of those who have navigated the foster care system firsthand. FCAA connects the alumni community to transform policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and from foster care.

The Genesis of an Alumni Movement

The seeds of FCAA were sown in 1999 when Casey Family Programs initiated a comprehensive research project, the National Alumni Study, involving extensive interviews with over 1,800 alumni of the foster care system across the United States. A recurring theme emerged from these conversations: a desire to improve the foster care system. This collective yearning sparked the formation of an alumni community, whose members began to connect and collaborate.

These early meetings revealed a profound sense of kinship and belonging, a shared understanding forged by the common experience of growing up in foster care. Alumni recognized that they possessed unique insights and expertise, gained through firsthand experience, that could be invaluable in shaping foster care policy and practice. Many alumni were already actively involved in supporting the foster care community as foster parents, kinship caregivers, and adoptive parents.

In 2004, with significant support from Casey Family Programs, these alumni leaders realized their vision of establishing an independent, non-profit, alumni-led organization: Foster Care Alumni of America.

Defining "Alumni"

The term "alumni," as defined by FCAA, encompasses anyone who has lived with people other than their biological parents at any point during their childhood. This broad definition includes individuals who have experienced formal foster care, kinship care (both formal and informal), adoption, and even first and second-generation immigrants who lived with non-biological caregivers as children.

The term was coined over 20 years ago by Misty Stenslie, founder of Foster Care Alumni of America, whom they affectionately call the Mother of the Alumni Movement. It was her vision that we would see our transition from foster care (although involuntary and not always positive) as a major accomplishment and believed that we should embrace and support each other similar to ways collegiate fraternity and sorority members do.

While many embrace the term "alumni," others may prefer different terminology. The unifying factor is the shared experience of having grown up outside of their biological family.

Core Values and Mission

FCAA operates on the fundamental belief that those with lived experience in foster care are best equipped to advocate for change and improve outcomes for current and future generations of foster youth. The organization's mission is rooted in several key principles:

Connecting Alumni: FCAA provides a platform for alumni to connect with one another, share their stories, and build a supportive community.
Transforming Policy and Practice: FCAA leverages the collective voice of alumni to advocate for policy changes and improved practices within the child welfare system.
Ensuring Opportunity: FCAA strives to create opportunities for people in and from foster care to achieve their full potential.

Key Initiatives and Accomplishments

Since its inception, FCAA has been instrumental in driving positive change in the foster care landscape. Some of the organization's key initiatives and accomplishments include:

Advocacy and Policy Reform: FCAA played a critical role in the passage of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008. The organization actively engages with policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels to advocate for legislation that supports foster youth and alumni.
Alumni Leadership Development: FCAA has established the Alumni Leadership Institute, a program that trains alumni to effectively share their experiences and advocate for change.
Resource Development: FCAA created a Handbook for Life After Foster Care, called Flux which was published in the spring of 2009. The Handbook is a resource for young people in transition (target audience ages 15-25) to support them in understanding and managing the emotional part of entering adulthood.
Community Building: FCAA fosters a strong sense of community among alumni through various events, chapter activities, and online platforms. Chapters of Foster Care Alumni of America are organized to achieve our mission to Connect Today…Transform Tomorrow within their respective territories. Our chapters participate in a variety of activities which includes hosting holiday events for members, and providing leadership growth and training opportunities.
National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Council: FCAA has partnered with other organizations to help administer the National Foster Care Youth & Alumni Council. The Council, made up of 20 alumni from the foster care system, creates recommendations for changes in the foster care system and presents them to The Administration for Children and Families twice yearly.
Fostering Change Network Foundation (FCN Foundation): The FCN Foundation is dedicated to amplifying the voices of those with lived experiences in foster care and resume our mission with renewed vigor and purpose and with a slight shift in focus: the holistic health and well-being of people with lived foster care experience. Through our newly launched Alumni Powerhouse Wellness Retreats and the re-launching of the Alumni Powerhouse Networking Conferences, the FCN Foundation will bring Alumni together to center self-care and personal growth, while connecting us to the resources and information we need to unite and amplify our voices in ways that will allow us to build the lives and communities we’ve always wanted.

The Power of Alumni Voices

FCAA recognizes that alumni of foster care possess unique expertise and credibility when it comes to shaping child welfare policy and practice. As former consumers of the foster care system, they are the only adults who can legitimately claim the expertise of knowing firsthand about living in foster care.

Read also: Funding for Foster Students

FCAA’s “value added” to child welfare policy is our ability to mobilize individuals who are also voters, taxpayers, and constituents of decision-makers. Through sharing their personal stories and advocating for change, alumni can influence policymakers, educate the public, and inspire hope for current and future generations of foster youth.

Addressing Challenges and Promoting Success

FCAA acknowledges the significant challenges that many foster care alumni face, including lack of family support, emotional trauma, and difficulty navigating adulthood. Yet, even with these challenges there are thousands of alumni who have found success after foster care. Their stories are powerful examples of how with the right support and resources, alumni can become leaders in our communities and lead the way for others to follow.

The organization is committed to providing resources and support to help alumni overcome these challenges and achieve their full potential. FCAA’s membership is full of such individuals, including the editor and founder of this magazine, Chris Chmielewski.

The Culture of Foster Care

As the alumni movement has grown and gained momentum, we have discovered that regardless of age, race, ethnicity, geography, education, occupation, or placement history, as alumni of the foster care system we have a great deal in common. Our shared experiences form the basis of a shared culture-the culture of foster care. FCAA addresses this culture through projects and publications.

FCAA Leadership: A Dedicated Team

FCAA is guided by a dedicated National Board of Directors, composed of passionate individuals with diverse backgrounds and expertise. Many board members are themselves alumni of the foster care system, bringing invaluable lived experience to the organization's leadership.

Read also: Foster for OCC Board

Some notable board members include:

Darryl “DMC” McDaniels: A member of the acclaimed Hip Group “Run DMC” and inductee into the Hall of Fame, Darryl is also an adoptee who has become a passionate advocate for adoptees and foster youth.
Mrs. O'Neale: Founder of Fostering Change Network LLC, Mrs. O'Neale has extensive experience in child welfare training, program development, and advocacy.
Maija: Co-chair of the Board, Maija is a multitalented millennial with a passion for storytelling, advocacy, and community-building.
Shantel Randolph: Shantel has a 9-year history in the non- profit & child welfare sector and is also an Alumni of the foster care system.
alicia nance, PhD: A Diasporic Afro-Indigenous, Afro-Latine genderfluid, queer, multilingual, disabled femme with 25+years of lived experience as a radical educator.
Rachel J. Barrett-Dolcine: Founder of Compass Consulting and Training Solutions, Rachel is a trainer, facilitator, and author.
Blessit Bryant: A dynamic community organizer and social influencer, Blessitt has a decade-long career in the non-profit advocacy space.
Susan Emfinger: Susan Emfinger is a senior program management and fundraising professional with over 15 years’ experience in US and international fundraising.
Jamole Callahan: Jamole is a passionate advocate, educator, and consultant committed to improving outcomes for youth in foster care and those experiencing homelessness.
Shannon Scott: Shannon Scott is a nonprofit leader with over 15 years of dedicated service in the sector.

Looking Ahead: A Vision for the Future

Foster Care Alumni of America remains committed to its mission of connecting alumni, transforming policy and practice, and ensuring opportunity for people in and from foster care. The organization envisions a future where all foster youth have the support and resources they need to thrive, and where the voices of alumni are central to shaping a more just and equitable child welfare system. FCAA connects the alumni community to transform policy and practice, ensuring opportunity for people in and from foster care.

Other Organizations doing similar work

In 1981, Joseph Rivers founded Foster Care to Success (FC2S) under the name “Orphan Foundation of America”. The program started off modestly; Volunteers helped youth meet their immediate needs - housing, jobs and transportation, before helping them develop goals beyond basic survival. After Rivers’ death in 1990, his foster sister and FC2S volunteer and board member Eileen McCaffrey became executive director. Under her leadership, FC2S has grown into the largest provider of college funding and support services for foster youth in the nation.

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