[Harrisburg, PA – October 31, 2022] Eight organizations have been named winners in the 2022 Aging Out Institute Awards Program for their effective strategies helping youth successfully transition to adulthood when they age out of foster care.

The Aging Out Institute (AOI) Awards Program celebrates the positive impact and influence of organizations that work with youth who age out of foster care. The awards program supports AOI’s mission to identify and share award winners’ best practices with foster care professionals throughout the world.

“Winning an AOI National Award is a significant accomplishment. The applications are judged by peers who work in the field of child welfare who assess each program based on specific judging criteria,” said Lynn Tonini, Founder and Executive Director of Aging Out Institute. “The programs that won awards this year are doing amazing things to support youth aging out of foster care. We are extremely pleased that we are able to provide monetary prizes again this year for the winning organizations to contribute toward their services for their transition age youth.”

This year’s panel of judges included experienced practitioners in the field of foster care throughout the country. The seven judges in this year’s program represent the winning organizations in the 2021 AOI Awards Program. These judges came from Pennsylvania, Arizona, Indiana, California, Massachusetts, and Florida. After careful consideration, these judges selected the following organizations as the winners of the 2022 National Awards Program (by category and prize amount):

Small Organization or Program ($40K each)

  • Hand2Paw (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Fostering Youth Independence (Santa Clarita, CA)
  • Foster Progress (Chicago, IL)
  • The Hope Center at Pullen, Inc. (Raleigh, NC)
  • R.J. Leonard Foundation (Doylestown, PA)

Mid-Size or Large Organization or Program ($50K each)

  • Immerse Arkansas (Little Rock, AR)
  • Pivotal Connections (San Jose, CA)
  • I Pour Life (Springfield, MO)

Youth Impact ($90K)

  • I Pour Life (Springfield, MO)

Aging Out Institute is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting resources and strategies that help individuals and organizations support youth aging out of foster care. Additional information about Aging Out Institute can be found on the AOI website at www.agingoutinstitute.org. An overview of all the award winners can be found at https://agingoutinstitute.org/2022-awards-program-winners/.

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