As we recognize Foster Care Awareness Month, we also recognize that relationships with the foster care system are often deeply complex. Every young person’s experience is different, and every story carries both challenges and resilience. At Friends of the Children, we know there are no simple narratives when it comes to foster care, only real young people navigating uncertainty, transitions, loss, healing, and hope. For young people like Lisa*, a professional mentor like Josie* makes a real difference.

For years, Lisa lived with uncertainty. Moving from foster home to foster home meant never fully unpacking, either emotionally or physically. Bags stayed packed, walls rarely felt permanent, and building friendships or trusting new people became harder with every transition. She was enrolled in our Friends - Utah program, but participation was difficult at times. Not because Lisa didn’t care, but because years of instability and trauma had taught her to protect herself first.

When Lisa moved in with her aunt in January 2025, it marked the beginning of a new chapter, but healing did not happen overnight. The year that followed was filled with patience, consistency, and working through the behaviors and trauma that naturally came from everything she had experienced. Through every challenge, her professional mentor remained steady and optimistic, showing up again and again with the same message: you are not too difficult, and you are not alone.

Then, this spring, after nine long years, Lisa’s adoption was finalized.

For the first time in nearly a decade, she finally has a family and a home where she truly feels like she belongs . No more wondering where she would sleep next. No more keeping backpacks packed in preparation for another move. Just the safety and stability every young person deserves.

Lisa’s story is a powerful reminder that the journey of healing is not a short one, and that consistent, caring adults matter greatly. Throughout Lisa's time in our program, the commitment of “No Matter What” became more than words. It became trust built slowly over time, patience through hard moments, and unwavering support during one of the most important transitions of her life.

Today, Lisa is no longer navigating the world alone. She knows she has people who will continue to show up for her, no matter what.

*Youth and mentor names changed to protect privacy.