Taxpayers donate funds to support Georgia children aging out of foster care

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - It is that time of year again, you can officially start filing your taxes beginning next week.

As we head into tax season, it is good to know that you can take what can be an aggravating task and do something for someone else. The legislation creates a tax credit, for donations made to government-approved groups, supporting Georgia children aging out of foster care.

Pam Parish is the founder of an organization called, Connections Homes.

“We work with kids 18-24 that are aging out of foster care, without family,” said Parish, “The primary thing that we do is match those youth to a mentoring family,” said Parish.

Hundreds of kids aging out of foster care have chosen to walk through the process. They are paired with families they choose, families who help teach them life skills, from dealing with finances to learning how to drive, to changing a tire and everything in between.

“When these kids come out of the foster care program, they still want a family. They still want a family, they still need a family,” said Debbie Ausburn.

“It allows me to share some of what was given to me growing up, with them, and hopefully they will make a better life for themselves because of it,” said Christopher Bailey.

The Fostering Success Tax Credit helps creates a new income tax credit for donations made to government-certified organizations, like Connections Homes. Taxpayers must apply for preapproval for the credit.

“Children aging out of foster care can often be some of the most forgotten youth in our system and there is really not a lot of support for those youth once they turn 18, so this legislation, this tax credit, was the legislatures way of saying, here is how we let the community at large come along these young people,” said Parish.

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