A goal we’re working toward: helping young people build a steady foundation during life’s biggest transitions, so they’re not trying to build a future on shaky ground.

If You Need Help Right Now

PFWorks doesn’t offer direct services yet, and we don’t want you waiting on us. These free services can help today:

• 211: call 211 or visit 211.org to find local help with housing, food, utilities, jobs, and more.
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 if things feel like too much.
• In immediate danger: call 911.

Why This Matters

The years between 16 and 24 are full of big transitions, and for many young people, they happen all at once. Some are aging out of foster care with no one to call. Some are dealing with homelessness, recovering from trauma or substance use, or rebuilding after incarceration. Without the right information and support at the right time, a temporary setback can turn into a long-term barrier. The problem isn’t a lack of potential. It’s a lack of steady ground to stand on.

Where This Project Stands

We want to be honest: the Teen Steady Foundations Project isn’t an active program yet.

Our planned first step: a free, plain-language “Starting Out” guide for young people stepping into adulthood. It will cover the basics nobody explains, like how to get an ID, open a bank account, find housing help, apply for food assistance, and where to turn in a crisis. We’ll shape it around what young people tell us they need.

What We Hope to Build

• The Starting Out guide, free to download and in print at shelters and libraries
• Help with the practical steps of a big transition, like aging out of foster care or leaving a program
• Over time, small, early grants that help promising local programs for young people get started
• Partnerships with organizations already helping young people find their footing

How You Can Help

Know a program that helps young people with IDs, banking, jobs, housing applications, or leaving foster care? Tell us about it. We’ll check every suggestion before it goes on our list, and the best ones may end up in the Starting Out guide.

Stability isn’t having everything figured out. It’s having enough support to take the next step.