On this week’s episode of Fostering Change we have a great conversation with Kimberly Raff! Full Episode at the link in our bio! 💙💛

Kimberly Raff experienced the foster care system after falling through the cracks and experiencing a very difficult childhood. At the age of 17, she emancipated from the system after graduating high school. Alone, scared, and not knowing what to do, she went back to live with her biological mother and step-father, even though drugs and alcohol were still a part of their lives. Shortly after moving to Colorado with them, they left her and moved out of state. Again, she was alone, without family and without a support system.

It was while she was working one of her three jobs that one of her employers approached her about attending college. This changed the path that Kimberly could have gone down. The employer helped her apply, take the ACT, and enroll into Colorado Mesa University where Kimberly studied Computer Science, Accounting, and ultimately ended up getting her degree in Psychology Counseling after 12 years. 

During those 12 years Kimberly failed out of school, enlisted in the military, was medically discharged, and was again, left without any support. 

Through her struggles and triumphs she found who she was meant to become. Her career in child welfare brought memories back of her childhood, especially seeing older youth aging out of care with little to no supports of family or friends. 

In 2017, Kimberly founded Foster Alumni Mentors, a non-profit organization that provides support and guidance to those who experienced foster care, to build a community of support around them.

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