Keys to Independence (K2I), recently issued its 1,000th driver’s license to a youth in foster care in the project’s eighth year.
Funded by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and managed by Embrace Families, an agency overseeing child welfare case management in Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties, K2I makes it easier for thousands of teenagers who grow up in foster care to sign up for driver’s education courses, receive driving lessons, and cover the costs of becoming a licensed driver, including car insurance.
“Being a teenager is difficult enough, without being in foster care where nothing feels normal,” said Darlene Rogers, a licensed caregiver whose twin foster daughters received licenses and car insurance through K2I. “Because of this program, my girls can experience the independence and freedom that ‘normal’ kids have. I cannot overstate how much this positively impacts their lives.”
Added Glen Casel, President and CEO of Embrace Families: “Learning to drive is more than a rite of passage – it’s a major part of the transition to adulthood. Our goal has always been to eliminate barriers that have historically held back youth in foster care. Being able to drive to school and work sets our young people up for success in all stages of life.”
Before K2I was introduced statewide in 2014, fewer than 20 foster youth had a Florida driver’s license or learner’s permit. Since t hen, more than 1,880 licenses and learner’s permits have been obtained by teens in foster care.
A new nationwide effort, Paving the Way with Division XTA, mirrors the Florida nonprofit’s Keys to Independence program.
For more information about K2I, visit www. keystoindependencefl. com, and for more information about Embrace Families or how to get involved, visit www. EmbraceFamilies.org.
