According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, rates of homelessness have been on the rise and are expected to continue increasing.

Recently, the Hope Center surveyed more than 195,000 two-year and four-year college students and found that about half experienced housing insecurity. What’s more, about one in seven reported they either experienced homelessness or lacked a stable living situation.

By definition on the Federal Application for Financial Aid, college students experiencing homelessness are one of several classifications of  “Independent Students”. Often, their “independence” is a result of leaving a dangerous, unusual or harmful home life situation (such as abuse) and entering college at 17 or 18, without the resources they need to succeed. 

The Federal definition refers to Independent Students as meeting one (or several) of the following criteria:

• Currently in foster care (ward of the state)
• Aged out or withdrawn from foster care
• Homeless or unaccompanied youth 
• Experiencing circumstances that have left them without guardians, such as emancipation, estrangement, deportation, disownment or escaping abuse.
• Above the age of 24

This definition does not include students whose parents are unable or unwilling to pay for college or other needs, although these students may face similar challenges.

Just like most college students, Independent Students have high educational aspirations and may struggle with a sense of belonging, navigating their identity, and a demanding course-load. 

However, unlike their peers, Independent Students are navigating college without family, and as such may face a variety of obstacles to educational retention and success, such as but not limited to: lack of access to stable housing, food, resources (such as books, a computer, a car), emotional support and life guidance. 

What’s more, without proper documentation, these students may be unable to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), barring access to necessary aid for tuition. An unpaid fee bill can then result in the inability to register for classes or on-campus housing due to financial holds. What’s more, these students may either be required to live on campus, or be unable to move off-campus due to finances, lack of cosigner, or transportation. 

These challenges are not only barriers to education, but barriers to accessing housing and food for about half the year. The month-long December break is one of several times throughout the year when independent students are most likely to find themselves “couch surfing”, living out of their car, sneaking into the residence halls, sleeping in the library, or in a variety of unsafe conditions. 

“The college system is ill-equipped, in both programs and staff response training, to help support students suffering with housing insecurity. Universities forget that not all students have a place to go over the holiday breaks when class is not in “session”. It leads to scary situations of being forced to stay locked in the dorm room with little food, or risk couch surfing until the dorms would be opened back up. If I wasn’t faced with issues such as these I would most likely have been able to finish college, but the lack of support truly made it virtually impossible. With additional support, other students could meet better educational ventures,” says Nikki Whitney, former Independent Student at the University of Connecticut. 

Research shows the importance of a college degree to help break cycles of abuse, poverty and homelessness, however, only 3% of youth in foster care nationwide will graduate with a college degree. National data for non-foster care independent students is unknown. Depending on the state, these students receive less support than students in foster care, so it can be assumed that their retention rate is similar. 

Additionally, the stress of navigating such complex and often dangerous situations can not only impede academic performance but also put significant strain on students’ physical and mental health. Housing options can be slim to none for a seventeen to twenty-year-old with no credit, no cosigner and no savings.

I remember what it was like. I started college and cut contact with my abusive parents by age seventeen. When I left, I knew I couldn’t go back, but wasn’t prepared for the barriers I’d face as a result. I didn’t realize I’d have nowhere to live during Thanksgiving (1 week), winter (6 weeks), spring (1 week) and summer breaks (3 months). I thought I could get an apartment but was constantly denied due to my lack of credit, cosigner, and savings. Until junior year, I relied on jobs that provided temp housing and crashed on friends’ couches, the library, and in my (not running) junkyard car. Reliable transportation was also an issue. 

I had no parent information for the FAFSA which bases your aid eligibility on your expected family contribution. This impacted my ability to get aid, campus housing, and register for classes. I worked 80 hours a week, struggled with consistent food and housing, had trouble making friends, was extremely depressed, and lacked the family guidance and emotional support it seemed like everyone else had.

Unfortunately, my story isn’t unique. This is the reality for many independent students – one I want to change.

After spending the last several years working professionally with independent students, and having navigated college as an independent student myself, I’m well aware of the barriers that independent students face, and have dedicated my career to filling this unmet need, providing Independent Students with the tools they need to succeed.

So, I created F.O.S.T.E.R Independence Foundation (501c3 pending), to provide trauma-informed support to college students experiencing homelessness, food insecurity and family estrangement. 

Through a mix of life coaching, mentorship, and scholarship opportunities, the organization aims to reduce the financial and personal barriers to success, improve student mental health, and to ensure that all students have access to safe and consistent housing, food and support. F.O.S.T.E.R Independence Foundation also provides consulting services to help Higher Education professionals develop trauma-informed resources and procedures for working with these students.

The goal is not just to have emergency housing funds for students, but to help these students break cycles. Access to food and housing is a basic human right that no one should be without. 

Ultimately, I hope to have a separate fund dedicated to helping students sign for their first apartment, regardless of the credit or cosigner requirements. Additionally, each student who receives a scholarship will also receive a year of complimentary life coaching. 

This is just one way that I have combined my personal and professional experience to help others. As a business owner, it’s really important for me to attach the mission of my business to something bigger than myself, so I’m donating a percentage of proceeds from my coaching business toward students in need. As a coach and speaker, my business already exists to serve others, and I am always so grateful for that opportunity, but then I think about how badly I needed that same guidance at seventeen, and how much my students needed something like this organization, and I know that I can do more. We all can. This holiday season, I encourage businesses to spread a little holiday cheer to a student in need. 

If you would like to get involved with F.O.S.T.E.R Independence Foundation’s efforts, you can visit their website, or contact Alex directly at fosterindependencefoundation@gmail.com.