Giving Tuesday and Foster Care – a Perfect Match
Giving Tuesday reminds us that generosity can change lives, especially for children in foster care. Created in 2012 as a global day of giving following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday celebrates kindness and community by encouraging people everywhere to give, volunteer, and uplift others. This year, Giving Tuesday is coming up on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. At Adriel, those gifts go far beyond one day. Each donation helps provide safety, stability, and opportunities for youth across Ohio. From new foster homes to vital life-skills programs, Giving Tuesday contributions directly shape brighter futures for the children we serve. So how have past Giving Tuesday donations made an impact, and what’s ahead this year?
How Have Giving Tuesday and Other Donations Supported Foster Children?
When donors contribute to Adriel in support of foster care on Giving Tuesday or any time throughout the year, their generosity ripples through every part of a child’s journey. In FY 2025, Adriel’s community of supporters helped:
• 317 youth receive compassionate care through foster care services
• 45 children reunify safely with their biological families
• 29 youth find forever homes through adoption
• 39 children be placed with kinship caregivers, keeping family ties strong
• 51 youth develop independence through Independent Living services
• 71 young adults continue growing through the Bridges program
Beyond direct care, support from Giving Tuesday and other donations strengthened families and foster parents:
• 100 families received family preservation services totaling 1,709 hours
• 26 foster parents accessed clinical support services
• 1,739 hours of foster parent training were completed
• 45 new foster homes were licensed, and 466 families inquired about becoming licensed
These numbers tell a story of transformation made possible by generosity.
What Could the Impact of Giving Look and Feel Like for a Foster Child?
Picture a teen—let’s call her Maya—entering foster care after years of uncertainty. She’s fallen behind in school and doubts her own future. But through Adriel’s services and community, Maya is placed with a family trained to help her heal through trauma-informed foster care. She begins working with tutors, mentors, and Adriel’s Independent Living team. She learns how to budget, explore career options, and prepare for college. Maya’s story is inspired by our visions and plans to drive real outcomes for Adriel youth as they enter young adulthood. But we can’t get there without your support.
What’s next: How can Giving Tuesday help prepare foster youth for adulthood?
This year, Adriel is launching the Bright Futures Fund, a new initiative focused on helping teens and young adults build essential life and career skills. Through career exploration, financial literacy, and job readiness programs, this fund will help youth:
• Discover their strengths and interests
• Build practical tools for education and employment
• Transition confidently into adulthood
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation brief, “Fostering Youth Transitions 2023,” fewer than half of young people aging out of foster care find stable housing or employment within two years. The Bright Futures Fund aims to change that trajectory, turning uncertainty into opportunity.
How Can You Make a Difference for Foster Care This Giving Tuesday?
Your contribution, whether general or specifically for the Bright Futures Fund, helps us continue our mission to provide stability and hope for every child in foster care. Make your Giving Tuesday gift (no need to wait until December 2) and invest in Ohio’s Bright Futures.
Building Bright Futures Together
The story of Adriel’s work is really the story of a community that shows up. Thanks to your support, children have found, stayed in, or returned to safe homes, parents have gained tools, and young adults are stepping more confidently into independence. We invite you to support children and young adults through our dedicated foster care community on Giving Tuesday.
Contact us with questions or join the conversation on Facebook to learn more.
