Eugenia Wallace began her college career at the tender age of sixteen. Even more so for Eugenia, who spent time in foster care, this is a remarkable achievement for a teen.
“I overcame many obstacles just to get there as a foster youth,” Wallace told our Washington News Bureau. “My parents couldn’t have guided me through that predicament when I was a kid.”
Wallace defied the odds by becoming one of the less than 1% of youths who have come out of foster care to earn a master’s degree after completing a bachelor’s degree.
But Wallace had a tough time of it since, like many others who leave the foster care system, she was unprepared financially.
Wallace explained that he had to work three jobs in order to cover his living expenses, including books, groceries, and rent.
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Currently, there is a measure in Congress that aims to assist children currently or previously housed in foster care with the financial burden of attending college.
Under the “Campus Housing Affordability Act,” kids in foster care would be able to use the Housing Choice Voice Program, which is run by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to cover the cost of housing on college campuses. There is a current restriction on college students using this voucher scheme.
We have bipartisan support for the bill.
This measure, according to its supporter, Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio), “will make an enormous difference in people’s lives” without increasing taxpayer spending.
Retired Nebraska Republican Don Bacon stated, “We want them to succeed and have a piece of the American dream.” His statement was echoed by another bill sponsor, Bacon.
Wallace expressed her hope that the measure will be enacted into law so that more foster youth may afford to attend college.
A significant need will be met. “The basic need for a safe place to sleep,” Wallace remarked.
While Landsman acknowledged that a precise figure is unavailable, he estimated that the initiative will benefit tens of thousands of foster children annually across the nation.