Empowerment begins with compassion, grows with community, and blooms into independence. Together, we’re helping young women step into their strength and shape their own futures.
We are proud to partner with AK+Ingenuity (AKI), a local, women-led organization that supports female-identifying youth and young women ages 13 to 21 as they take the big step from foster care to living on their own.
AKI provides more than case management—they create safe, welcoming homes where young women can focus on healing, learning, and growing. Each of the five AKI houses has its own positive focus, encouraging healthy choices, personal growth, and brighter futures. Twenty-three youth reside in 5 houses. One of our liaisons works directly with each house and maintains regular contact.
When the program began in 2023, we helped make the houses feel like true homes by donating furniture and home essentials. Since then, our members have built strong and joyful connections with the teens living in the AKI houses by showing up in meaningful ways throughout the year.
Together, we have spent afternoons sewing and crafting, planned back-to-school and spring shopping trips, and turned birthdays and holidays into occasions filled with care and celebration. We have rolled up our sleeves to plant backyard gardens, provided scholarships so the girls can explore their unique talents and dreams, and encouraged them to get involved in the community around them. Most recently, we were thrilled to cheer on their entrepreneurial spirit as they launched a pop-up jewelry boutique at the Ridgefield Farmers Market.
“Without Assistance League I, as
a foster care kid, could never have
attended Marine Biology Camp, and now I know what I am going to do with my life.”
~ Ilora, a teen we’ve supported through Fostering Independence
“Thank you for helping to make our girls feel special on their birthdays and at Christmas. Your gifts are wonderful and bring joy beyond words”.
“We are so grateful for every visit you make, every gift you provide and the
conversations you have with us”.
“Thank you for all the effort you put into making our gardens a fun experience and full of good food”!
~AKI Staff
Over the last year, 23 youths participating in AKI’s transitional housing program were provided services and support for transitioning out of foster care to independent living.
