The Mission

Porchlight Pathways exists to make the move into adulthood less lonely and confusing for teens and young adults in foster care, youth who have aged out, and the families and professionals who walk beside them. We draw on lived experience growing up in foster care and adoption, along with the insight of foster parents and child-welfare professionals, and turn it into calm, plain-English help you can actually use this week.

We create short, step-by-step lessons, a quiet, honest podcast, and ready-to-print guides on the basics of independent adulthood: money and budgeting, first housing steps, school and work decisions, safer tech, boundaries and consent, and repair after conflict. Everything is trauma-aware and dignity-first—no shame, no sensational storytelling—just practical scripts, checklists, and routines that work in real homes, schools, and communities.

As we grow, we’re adding parent and caregiver workshops, mentor Q&A, and partner packs for schools, agencies, and churches so caring adults can teach the same simple steps with consistency. Our promise is simple: tell the truth kindly, teach the next step clearly, and keep the porch light on long enough for trust to take root.