Step up, Step out

Hope For Youth is committed to ensuring that all young people have the tools, guidance, and resources they need to build successful, independent futures. Our Step Up, Step Out program is designed to support youth as they age out of foster care, offering mentorship, career preparation, and ongoing individualized support as they transition beyond the structure of Hope For Youth.

A core goal of the program is to increase the number of HFY alumni who pursue and complete higher education while remaining connected to our community long-term. Through partnerships with generous donors, community organizations, and foundations, Step Up, Step Out provides financial assistance for essential college- and career-related expenses, including transportation, SAT fees, college applications, vocational training costs, and professional attire for interviews. Youth also receive professional coaching and are paired with mentors in fields aligned with their interests, helping them gain real-world exposure and career guidance.

A Story of Impact

One young man arrived at our Runaway & Homeless Youth Shelter following a stay in a local psychiatric hospital after a conflict at home. From the start, he shared that managing his emotions—especially anger—was a major challenge. Staff connected him to a local youth bureau’s free therapy program, and over the next three months, he made remarkable progress. He began using healthy coping strategies, secured a full-time job, learned to budget his earnings, and even mastered the Suffolk County bus system to maintain his independence.

As staff worked with him, he identified a former mentor he had lost touch with. With HFY’s help, they reconnected, and the relationship grew stronger than ever. Upon discharge, he moved to the mentor’s home state, where he is now preparing to start a new school year, in a new community, with a fresh start—and a renewed sense of hope.

This is just one example of how Step Up, Step Out empowers youth to overcome obstacles, build stability, and step confidently into their next chapter.