Vera Lloyd Presbyterian Family Services is creating a model transition services program to prepare youth to become successful and productive adults once they leave Vera Lloyd’s children’s home in Monticello.

The Walton Family Foundation recently awarded Vera Lloyd a three-year $500,000 grant to support the new program.

“Youth who age out of foster care face tremendous barriers to success, including homelessness, unemployment or underemployment, incarceration, unwanted pregnancy and drug abuse,” Donna Mahurin, CEO, said. “Vera Lloyd’s transition services will help break the cycle of abuse and neglect by giving youth that leave our care the resources and support they need to make good choices.”

Vera Lloyd has evolved its residential transitional living program limited to young adults ages 18 to 21, to this comprehensive education program that will include youth ages 14 and older who are in foster care at Vera Lloyd. The transition services education program includes individualized instruction in independent living skills, mentoring, academic support, workforce development and assistance with education beyond high school.

“This new program will enable Vera Lloyd to offer transition services as part of our core programming.