The Great Decorate 2020 SUPPORTING FOSTER TEENS
The Great Decorate

About Hazel, Ravines & Downtown - The Great Decorate 2020

Follow this link to find the 2021 Campaign Page.

 The Great Decorate, a holiday tree decorating contest to raise awareness and funds for local foster teens aging-out of the foster care system. The foster teen recipients will be selected through a partnership with the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange (M.A.R.E.). Each year in the United States, more than 250,000 children are placed in foster care and over 26,500 age-out, including 1,700 in Michigan alone.

From November 27th through December 24th, visitors can view magnificent, beautifully decorated trees in restaurants and retail locations throughout downtown Birmingham and vote for their favorite tree by donating online. 100% of donations will go directly to local foster teens to use toward their future when they turn 18.


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Location

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city, 10000 USA

Contact

hope@thegreatdecorate.com

DID YOU KNOW...

Children in the system that are 13 or older are highly unlikely to be placed in a foster home, so they live in a group home or orphanage until they become an adult.

The day they turn 18, they are released from the system and are expected to set out on their own with little or no resources or support.  This is called “Aging Out”

Children who are in foster care are likely to have serious and complex physical health, mental health and developmental problems.  these problems arise from their traumatic past.  25% are diagnosed with ptsd, 80% have chronic medical conditions, (most have 3 or more medical conditions.), zero % have access to medical or mental treatment

WHAT HAPPENS TO THESE KIDS WHEN THEY "AGE-OUT"?

  • 25% of them become homeless.​
  • Only 6% earn a 2 or 4-year degree.  More than half are unemployed.
  • 30% suffer from Drug and Alcohol Addiction.
  • 75% of the females become pregnant in the first 2 years after aging out.
  • Many get involved in crime. 
  • 80% of the males get arrested, and 60% are convicted.
  • 90% of them live in poverty and earn less than $10k per year.