The workplace in numbers
Not all work is created equal.
Stable employment is central to whether people thrive. With it, families can afford housing, food, and more opportunities to help them succeed. Fulfilling employment is also part of the foundation for mental well-being and feelings of self-worth.
“According to the National Foster Youth Initiative, more than 23,000 children age out of the US foster care system each year. And only 50% of those foster kids will have some form of gainful employment by the age of 24.”
Every person has a right to work opportunities where they can meet basic needs as well as be safe and seek growth and development. And yet, the Department of Labor reports that domestic and intimate partner violence victims lose nearly 8 million days of paid work per year in the US. DV/IPV survivors, as well as those that have survived human trafficking, may lack work history, job-specific skills, and many not be able to show a stable employment history.
While companies need a reliable workforce, they also have the power to create policies of understanding and programs to support those entering the workforce. Additionally, with only 50% of the nation’s foster youth who have aged out of the system having gainful employment by the age of 24, local communities and businesses are in the perfect position to meaningfully help change the course of entire families. Vine & Fig Tree acts as a partner between companies, services, and the community to come together for the common good.
Current Partners
we are a proud member of loudoun counties trauma informed care network run through scan of northern VIRGINIA:
Impact
IN 2023 we reached over 200 community members in-person and impacted over 60 foster youth through our programs and events.
We also:
Started an Emergency Fund for our clients and local foster teens and have been able to prevent youth from eviction, provided transportation and car repair so they could get back to work, and bought furniture and food for various families. We were also able to provide Christmas gifts for youth without families to go home to
Provided 9 laptops to foster youth to apply for jobs, college, internships, and finish school
Assisted with job and life-skills coaching for current and aged-out foster youth, as well as domestic violence/intimate partner violence survivors
Created spaces for foster teens to play and have community with one another as well as worked with the Department of Family Services to provide after-school tutoring to foster youth
Cultivated local partners and relationships to expand the networks of support for our clients and create supportive spaces that collaborate
