By Jessica Quiroz, Youth Connections Advocate

To protect privacy, names of youth and family members in this story have been changed.

There are moments in foster care when plans change unexpectedly. Sometimes a path that once felt certain suddenly looks very different.

For Maya, 18, that could have meant another loss.

When Jessica became Maya's Youth Connections Advocate (YCA) with Raise the Future, Maya had already been matched with a family and had recently moved into their home. Jessica quickly got to know Maya, along with Sarah and David, who were preparing for what they hoped would be a future together.

Then things changed.

The placement disrupted and, on paper, it could have looked like the end of the story.

But for Sarah and David, it wasn't.

They kept calling Maya every day. They wanted her with them for Thanksgiving. They wanted her there for Christmas. They continued checking in, staying connected, and making sure she knew she still mattered to them.

Jessica noticed something important.

"I could see that there was so much love and care for Maya," Jessica shared. "Even though adoption wasn't on the table anymore, they still wanted to be in her life."

As Jessica spent more time getting to know Sarah and David, they talked openly about the challenges they were facing and the questions they had about what came next. During those conversations, Jessica realized something important. They wanted to continue being there for Maya, but they didn't know there were other paths available.

So Jessica asked a different question:

What if this didn't have to end here?

She introduced them to adult guardianship as another option, one that would allow them to continue being a consistent source of support and connection in Maya's life.

Today, Sarah and David are in the process of pursuing adult guardianship. They still speak with Maya every day. They spent the holidays together. When Jessica visits Maya, she brings care packages that Sarah and David put together for her. This summer, they are planning time together with extended family because they want Maya to continue building relationships and make memories together.

For Jessica, one thing has stayed with her through all of it:

"What stuck with me is the love and commitment Sarah and David showed and continue to show Maya," she said. "Even though adoption wasn't an option anymore, they continued to show up and found another way to support her."

Sometimes support doesn't look exactly the way people expect it to.

Sometimes it looks like daily phone calls.

Sometimes it looks like care packages.

Sometimes it looks like holidays spent together.

And sometimes it looks like people making the decision to stay.

Every young person deserves people who stay. If you'd like to learn more about Raise the Future's Youth Connections program or the work behind these stories, we're here to answer questions and share more. Connect with our team.