<– Click to watch clips from our latest Start Above for Sindi!
Each year more than 25,000 youth age out of the foster care system in the United States. 40% will experience homelessness. 25% will be incarcerated. 54% will drop out of high school and less than 5% will earn a bachelor’s degree. Without the consistent family support to guide them as they transition into adulthood, they face innumerable obstacles.
Rise Above’s Start Above project provides a life-changing, positive opportunity to young adults aging out of foster care. Through the transformation of their first apartment, Start Above gives young adults apartment essentials, as well as hope. From pots and pans to towels and sheets, to a couch, kitchen table and art for the walls, Start Above helps youth get settled into their first apartment and make it a personalized space to call their own. After close and thoughtful planning with the young adult, Rise Above revamps their apartment in a single day.
Start Above Project Partners:
Meet Sindi, a nursing student who goes to school and lives in Worcester. Watch this video to see how we transformed her space into a home that captures Sindi’s personality and is a home she can be proud to live in.
Meet Emily, who lives in an apartment in Worcester with her partner. Emily is a student at Bridgewater State University and is passionate about her job where she works with people with developmental disabilities. Check out our video for before and after images, a look inside the process and the transformation day, and the moment Emily see her new space.
Meet Tyanna, a sophomore at Fitchburg State University and is majoring in psychology and criminal justice. In addition to being a full-time student, she has two part-time jobs one of which is serving as a mentor to adults with intellectual disabilities. She lives in an apartment in Fitchburg with her two dogs.
Meet Quejanae, a rising junior at Fitchburg State University who’s majoring in psychology and criminal justice. In addition to being a full-time student, she has two part-time jobs, one of which is serving as a mentor to adults with intellectual disabilities. 
Want to get involved?
Donate: Check back here for a Amazon Wish List link with items needed for upcoming Start Above projects, or make a gift today.
Save the Date! Our 2nd annual golf scramble presented by Pelletier Properties is set for Monday, July 22nd at Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg, MA. This fundraising will help us raise funds to help us complete Start Above projects for more young adults. Check back for ticket information.
Special thank you to 2023 event’s presenting sponsor Pelletier Properties, and sponsors that include TJX, Fidelity Bank, Main Street Bank and Vision Payroll. If your company is interested in sponsorship opportunities, contact us.