Every child in foster care needs to know
they matter.
Each year, over 260,000 children enter the foster care system through no fault of their own.
Founder - Helen Ramaglia Payne
Former Foster Child & Foster Adoptive Parent
We restore hope to children in foster care through unique and creative programs built on experience.
Just Imagine - You hear a knock at the door. You open it and see two cops. You're confused and scared. They hand you two black garbage bags and instruct you to pack whatever clothes you can.
They give you 5 minutes then escort you to a third person standing outside whom you've never met. They make you get into the car with strangers and they drive away with you in the back seat, screaming and crying! - 11 year old Helen
Fostering SuperStars
A 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization celebrating the lives and birthdays of children living in the foster care system.
What is it like living in foster care?
Every year more than 20,000 foster children age out of the system, ill-equipped and unprepared for adult life.
2%
Driver's License
In some states, less than 2% of teen-age foster children are able to obtain a driver's license.
55%
Graduate High School
In some states, such as Georgia. Only 11% of foster children graduate high school.
2x
PTSD
Children in foster care are more the twice as likely to suffer from PTSD than soldiers returning from war.
50%
Sibling Seperation
In many states, over half of sibling groups are separated and placed in different homes.
The Foster Care Crisis in America
Fostering SuperStars began as an empowerment support system for aging-out foster youth, where I shared stories and lessons from my own foster care journey. During one such event, a foster child came to me and told me it was her 16th birthday. With a long, sad face, she said, "Ms. Helen, I'm not sure anyone knows." I stopped the event, and within an hour, we were singing, laughing, and blowing out candles. We spent the rest of the day celebrating her.....
There are over 430,000 children in foster care and only 214,421 licensed foster parents. Unfortunately, this means foster parents and agencies are often left with limited resources to serve the many children in their care. The need for organizations like ours is vital in filling some of the many gaps that continue to plague the foster care system.
Birthdays matter because foster children matter,
and every child deserves to be celebrated.