Compassion Planet offers support to foster youth aging out of system

BREACH. REPORTER: DEER CREEK FARM IS LOADED WITH UNIQUE GIFTS, HOME DECOR, AND A WORKING GARDEN. BUT IT’S WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES THAT MAKES THIS MORE THAN A STORE. THE SHOP AND ITS COMPANION THRIFT STORE ARE OPERATED BY COMPASSION PLANET. THE NONPROFIT HELPS AGED OUT FOSTER YOUTH GAIN THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE TO SUCCESSFULLY MOVE INTO THEIR ADULT LIVES. >> THEY HAVE COOKING CLASSES THEY HAVE BANKING AND FINANCE CLASSES. WE REALLY TRIED TO PREPARE THEM ON EVERY LEVEL. REPORTER: THIS IS A RETIRED HEALTH CARE WORKER AND VOLUNTEER WITH COMPASSION PLANET. SHE FOUND HER WAY TO THE MENTORING ORGANIZATION THROUGH ANOTHER VOLUNTEER PROJECT. >> I VOLUNTEERED WITH THE PRISON MINISTRY FOR YEAR, AND IT BECAME CLEAR TO ME THAT FOSTER CARE WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MOST OF THOSE WOMEN HAD IN COMMON. A HUGE PERCENTAGE OF THE LADIES I WORKED WITH AT FOLSOM, THEY ARE RAISED IN FOSTER CARE, IT IS CYCLE THAT SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO BREAK. REPORTER: AND THAT IS WHAT COMPASSION PLANET FOCUSES ON — BREAKING THE CYCLE. >> THEY COME TO US IN SELF PROTECTION MODE. THEY HAVE HA SURVIVE, WITHOUT THE SUPPORT MOST YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE. REPORTER: THE ONE YOUR PROGRAM OFFERS TRAINEES A SUPPORT SYSTEM, CONNECTING THEM WITH VOLUNTEERS AND SOCIAL WORKERS WHO TEACH BASIC LIFE SKILLS AND JOB SKILLS. THEY COME TO US AND THEY HAVE PAID EMPLOYMENT IN ONE OF OUR STORES FOR YEAR, SO THEY REALLY BECOME EXPERTS AT CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY COME TO TRAINING, WE TRAIN IN ALL THE SOFT SKILLS, THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND MYSELF SIT WITH THEM EVERY FRIDAY AND WE GO OVER WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PERSON IN THE WORLD AND WHAT IT TAKES TO SURVIVE. REPORTER: 124-YEAR-OLD KNOWS WHAT IT IS LIKE TO JUST SURVIVE. >> I WAS IN OVER 26 FOSTER INTERGROUP HOMES. I AGED OUT AT 21 AND MOVED INTO A TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM. REPORTER: IT WAS COMPASSION PLANET THAT HELPED HER LEARN TO TRUST OTHERS. >> IT BECAME A SECOND FAMILY. REPORTER: AND BUILD HER WORK ETHIC. >> I HAD A REALLY BAD ISSUE WITH TIME MANAGEMENT. I WAS LATE PRETTY MUCH EVERY SINGLE SHIFT. ON TIME, MY SUPERVISOR SAID, I’M GOING TO SEND YOU HOME. AND I WENT HOME AND CRIED. AND THEN I WAS NEVER LATE FROM THERE ON OUT. THAT REALLY CHANGED. REPORTER: TODAY SHE’S A SUPERVISOR, HELPING OTHER FORMER FOSTER YOUTH GAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE. >> IT FEELS REALLY GOOD BECAUSE I’VE ALREADY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE’S LIVES. REPORTER: GIVING BACK WHAT WAS GIVEN TO HER. >> MY LIFE PROBABLY BE REALLY DOWNHILL. I PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HOLD A JOB BECAUSE I COULDN’T BEFORE. I WOULD PROBABLY BE REALLY LONELY AND DEPRESSED. REPORTER: GIVING VOLUNTE HOPE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF FOSTER YOUTH. >> SHE HAS A BRILLIANT FUTURE. REPORTER: LISA GONZALES, KCRA 3 NEWS. KELLIE: PROCEEDS FROM DEER CREEK FARM COMPASSION THRIFT SHOP AND THE GARDEN GO TOWARDS MENTORING PROGRAMS. AS FOR ALEXANDREA, SHE PLANS TO KEEP WORKING WITH COMPASSION PLANET AND STUDY NATURAL SCIENCE AND BUSINE

Compassion Planet offers support to foster youth aging out of system

Updated: 2:53 PM PDT May 4, 2019

A Rocklin-based program is offering a supportive bridge to foster youth aging out of the system who often struggle in early adulthood. Compassion Planet operates Deer Creek Farm in Rocklin, as well as its companion thrift store. Although it sells unique gifts and home decor, it offers even more behind-the-scenes. The nonprofit helps former foster youth gain skills and confidence to successfully move into their adult lives. “They have cooking classes, banking and financing. We really try to prepare them on every level,” said Candace Collins, a retired health care worker and volunteer with Compassion Planet. The one-year program offers trainees a support system that connects them with volunteers and social workers who teach them basic job and life skills. “They come to us and they have paid employment in one of our stores for a year. They come to training. We train in soft skills. The social workers and myself meet with them every Friday and we go over what it means to be a person in the world and what it takes to survive,” Collins said. The proceeds from Deer Creek Farm and Compassion Thrift Shop go toward mentoring programs.

ROCKLIN, Calif. (KCRA) —

A Rocklin-based program is offering a supportive bridge to foster youth aging out of the system who often struggle in early adulthood.

Compassion Planet operates Deer Creek Farm in Rocklin, as well as its companion thrift store. Although it sells unique gifts and home decor, it offers even more behind-the-scenes.

The nonprofit helps former foster youth gain skills and confidence to successfully move into their adult lives.

“They have cooking classes, banking and financing. We really try to prepare them on every level,” said Candace Collins, a retired health care worker and volunteer with Compassion Planet.

The one-year program offers trainees a support system that connects them with volunteers and social workers who teach them basic job and life skills.

“They come to us and they have paid employment in one of our stores for a year. They come to training. We train in soft skills. The social workers and myself meet with them every Friday and we go over what it means to be a person in the world and what it takes to survive,” Collins said.

The proceeds from Deer Creek Farm and Compassion Thrift Shop go toward mentoring programs.