Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 2876

Tonight's special guest is Aland Stamps from Bay City, Michigan, a former foster youth who grew up in foster care during the late 70's and 80's after his mother, who was a heroin addict, eventually lost her parenting rights as a result of her addiction. After 11 years in foster care and 20 different placements (foster homes, group homes and institutions), Aland aged out of foster care and into homelessness. Within the first two and a half years of aging out, Aland couch-surfed, became a crack addict and alcoholic.  He ate out of soup kitchens daily and bounced around from homeless shelter to homeless shelter on the streets of the Cass Corridor in Detroit. He was in a near-fatal car accident, sold drugs to support his own drug habit, was convicted of three felony drug charges and sentenced up to 20 years in prison for probation violations and felony assault. Aland served 7 of that 20-year sentence before being released. Aland shares his story and recovery principals to youth across Michigan and he has started the first-ever foster care recovery support group for anyone who has experienced foster care regardless of age. Foster youth are resilient. Finding jobs, building businesses, graduating from college, and other steps to success are all things a current or former foster youth can do with ease. They are naturally fighters.  However, living, enjoying, and sustaining those things are a challenge for those who haven't found recovery. River Jordan, Inc. has a system that works because its programs and services have elements of best-practice models including 'California's First Place For Youth' housing model and the evidence based Peer Support model.