WASHINGTON, DC— On May 21 Bennett College graduate Julia Charles of Greensboro, North Carolina was honored as a 2008 Outstanding Young Leader by FosterClub and Kids Are Waiting, a national, nonpartisan project of the Pew Charitable Trusts. Ms. Charles and ten other foster care alumni from across the nation were recognized for their dedication in advocating for improvements to the U.S. foster care system. The event was hosted by the National Association of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) as part of their Forgotten Children exhibit at the National Mall.
Ms. Charles was congratulated by Congressman Mel Watt (12th District, NC) on Capitol Hill on receiving this award and spent time lobbying Congressman Watt and other Members of Congress for federal reforms that would reduce the number of children languishing in foster care – currently more than 510,000 – and ensure that more foster children have the safety and permanence of a family.
Julia Charles and the other young honorees emphasized that foster care was intended to be a temporary solution to remove children from situations where abuse or neglect has occurred but, unfortunately, far too many children spend years in foster care waiting to return safely to their families or to be adopted. More than 26,000 young people left the system last year because their age (usually 18) meant they were no longer eligible to receive foster care assistance.
Ms. Charles spent 11 years in North Carolina’s foster care system, moving more than a dozen times during this period. Despite this uncertainty and instability, Ms. Charles defied the odds, graduating from high school and, this year, from Bennett College for Women. She has also recently published a book, Surviving the Storm: A Look at the Life of a Child in Foster Care, an autobiography chronicling her experiences.
Congressman Watt said, “I was happy to have the opportunity to meet this remarkable young woman and witness first hand Julia’s ability to advocate effectively on behalf of our nation’s foster children. I would like to congratulate her on receiving the 2008 Outstanding Young Leader Award and wish her the best of success as she continues her advocacy work.”
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