David is a 21-year-old living in Virginia who has become an amazing young man despite a challenging start in life. He was born to a teenage mother and was diagnosed with Autism and Mood Disorders at 3. David spent most of his childhood and teenage years bouncing around residential treatment facilities and group homes. Care and custody were given to the state of Connecticut when he was eight due to his mother's poor decisions and a general inability to care for him. Fortunately, his aunt was able to step in as a caregiver and eventual foster mother for him.

David has been able to live at home with his family for several years, where he has learned valuable relationship and life skills, and even renewed a relationship with his birth mother. For the last year, since graduating high school, David has worked hard to develop work experience through volunteering at a farm animal sanctuary, a therapeutic riding program, and a homeless shelter. He is ready to take the next steps toward adulthood and independence but needs extra support.

Many state-funded programs are geared toward relatively high-functioning adults with mild disabilities or adults that are very low-functioning. David is somewhere in between these two. He needs to mature more before he will qualify for state-funded competitive employment support, and he is too advanced for county-funded adult daycare programs. 29 Acres’ Transition Academy in Denton, Texas, provides a "2-yr residential program for individuals with ASD who are motivated to live independently and enjoy competitive employment, but need a ‘longer runway’ to build confidence by strengthening their life and work skills." (https://29acres.org/programs/transition-academy/)

David has been accepted into this competitive program! During the pre-requisite shadow day, he met and interacted with many other young adults like him. While waiting for the acceptance letter, David excitedly shared, “I think this program is a good fit for me. The other guys are a lot like me!”

David received a partial scholarship, but he and his family are working hard to pay the remaining tuition for this program. Any proceeds generated that are above and beyond will be donated to 29 Acres to help them provide scholarships for others.

Read more about David’s journey in this article featured in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/kinship-placement-over-foster-care/2020/12/30/bd4a8a42-4ada-11eb-a9d9-1e3ec4a928b9_story.html

or watch a video here: