Growing Up in Foster Care with Just-In-Time Funding

Raising a child is expensive—as you’ve probably heard in grocery store checkout lines or in the stands at a high school game. So, it should come as no surprise that foster caregivers feel a pinch whenever a young person is suddenly placed in their care, often with just a bag of possessions. Foster families quickly spend their stipend on toiletries, clothing, medicines, food, and gas to cover the meetings and appointments. But every youth, whether or not they are experiencing foster care, has just as many needs and wants as the next.

Possibilities are found in life’s extras—paint supplies provide an outlet, soccer league fees spark a gritty passion, and even a theater ticket feeds the soul. According to a GoBankingRates survey, about 52% of parents reported spending over $1,000 a year on one child’s extracurriculars and hobbies to make them smile and discover who they are. That’s where Treehouse’s Just-in-Time Funding (JITF) program steps in.

What Is Just-in-Time Funding?

Like Treehouse itself, the program began in 1988 as “Little Wishes” because it fulfilled requests for young children. As the youth Treehouse served grew up, so did the wishes; the requests for toys and dolls morphed into tutoring and skills training courses. In 2019, Treehouse renamed the program to better serve all the young people experiencing foster care. We also hope JITF gives youth in care equity in experiences from childhood through young adulthood.

In the 2023–2024 program year, Treehouse approved 9,194 JITF requests and spent an average of $680 on each participant who filed a request. The top five request categories are:

Extracurriculars
Hair care
School fees & educational materials
Camp (summer or seasonal overnight camps and day camps)
Career & work items (food handlers’ card, interview and work clothing, work supplies, etc.)

How Does JITF Make a Difference?

For one caregiver, JITF helped the toddler placed in their home a few times.

“[JITF] made it possible to enroll in a local children’s gymnastics/activity program,” shares the caregiver. “We’ve seen her become more confident and expand her large motor skills through the experience. She also has developed her social skills with the weekly visits. It’s such an amazing program in how it directly impacts the youth involved.”

Then, just like circumstances are bound to do, things shifted and a new need cropped up.

“[She] had time off from school for winter break as many kids did. She also was not able to attend her weekly gymnastics class. I could sense that the last week of break was becoming a little bit too predictable indoors as the weather wasn’t so great either. With help from Treehouse’s Just-in-Time Funding, we were able to get a membership for a local children’s museum. When our other kids were younger, having a membership like that was not an option.

We played in the water zone for an hour. With damp arms and splashed on pants, we traveled upstairs to the toddler zone, where the interactive activities included a farm and kitchen and other sensory enrichment. There were many other young children, just my foster [child’s] age. We are so thankful to have these incredible opportunities to nurture her curiosity and expand her mental and emotional growth, and it was made possible because of Treehouse.”

Treehouse JITF helps young adults purchase new work clothes

JITF and Young Adults in Care

For a young adult in Extended Foster Care or emerging from foster care, JITF is the safety net they wouldn’t otherwise have. For example, in July 2024 one participant in the Launch Success program used JITF to purchase new office-appropriate clothing.

“They decided it was time to level up their job and income after years of feeling stuck in fast-food work,” shares Bailey Wright, a Launch Success Coach. “They decided to take a leap into something they’re unfamiliar with in a more professional setting. And they got a job! I’m very proud of them for the steps they’re taking towards their goals.”

The question is a big one: what does financial support do for you? It opens doors, allows you to close some, and then open others. It gives you possibilities, choices, and life experiences.

It’s a huge accomplishment to bring even a semblance of equity into the equation for youth in care. And Treehouse couldn’t do this work without the dedication of our Builders Club or generous donations from corporations like US Bank.

To support youth in foster care and the Just-in-Time Funding program, you can start a fundraiser or make a donation. For more ways to get involved, visit our Take Action page.