Edward Finds Stability in Fatherhood

At Bridges Homeward, we believe that if we support children and families to develop safe and permanent relationships, they will maximize their individual growth and community participation. We see that belief confirmed every day through the work of our Independent Living program, where we provide apartments, support, and advice to young adults ages 18 to 22 who are transitioning out of foster care. When we work to build trust with our Independent Living residents, we see them grow and flourish in ways they perhaps never would have thought possible. 

When Edward* came into our Independent Living Program, at age 19, one of his biggest goals was to learn how to be a good father for his young daughter. He was very committed to building his parenting skills, but he didn’t know where to start. Our Independent Living team connected him with parenting classes and talked with him every week about how to be a parent. Edward enthusiastically soaked up all this new information. 

Edward also struggled with financial stability. He didn’t always pay his bills on time and struggled with impulse purchases. Through working with his Independent Living team, Edward began to understand the importance of financial literacy. Over time, Edward was able to budget his money accordingly and provide financial support for his daughter and her mother.  

He may be a parent, but Edward is still a young man. In our Independent Living program, he struggled with the types of things that any young adult might struggle with; from playing his music too loud in his apartment building to spending money on a gaming system that could have gone towards savings. However, Edward was honest with his Bridges Homeward team the entire time he was in our program and remained focused on his goals: to be able to live independently and to be a good dad. 

When we first met Edward, it was hard for him to plan for the future because he never knew what his financial situation would look like. But after some time working on his financial literacy and parenting skills with our staff, Edward was saving money to buy presents and decorations two months before his daughter’s birthday. We are so proud of his growth and maturity! 

Edward has since discharged out of the Independent Living program and has his own apartment. Edward and his daughter’s relationship continues to flourish; Edward also has a healthy relationship with his daughter’s mother. Edward still maintains contact with his former Bridges Homeward team and updates us on how he and his daughter are doing! 

*Names have been changed.