All children should have a loving home and the opportunity to succeed. That’s unfortunately not the case for many Alaska foster youths. Today, forty percent end up homeless or couch-surfing at someone else’s home at some point after leaving foster care. Seventeen percent end up in jail. Our foster youth come from and live in every corner of our state and are our neighbors.

As we think about our holiday blessings, I’d like a generous community to know there are many things we can do to help, some easier, and some that take more time. Or maybe you know someone who can help if you can’t.

I lost my father when I was six. His life, and the lives of every person at his office, were taken by a person who wielded ill will and a knife. As a result, I and my brother grew up in foster care. I now understand that I was lucky to have relative stability, which is crucial to children whose lives have been uprooted.

Life for foster youth in Alaska is much tougher than it was for me. Many of the youth I know — because of a vast shortage in adoptive and foster parents — get bounced between five, 10, and sometimes more than 20 temporary foster homes as the state tries to find a long term foster family who can offer stability, love, and care. I’ve met too many foster youth who every single day simply have to clear too many hurdles in school, at home, and in life. The number of Alaska foster youth has surged by over 50 percent in the past five years, and now tops 2,800.

These are reasons why I’ve worked with other Alaskans to start and promote volunteer efforts that allow all of us to help bring success to these youth. As a legislator I’ll keep working for reforms so foster youth have an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed in life. But there is much we can do today, as volunteers.

Contrary to what many think the highest goal is to get a child in foster care out of that system and into a permanent home with loving parents. That saves the state money and saves a child pain. On the road to that goal we need good foster parents who will provide guidance and care.

There are smaller things we can do that make a big difference. They range from donating a laptop so an older child can succeed in school, carry family pictures and memories, and communicate with friends. If you own or manage a clothing store consider offering discounts to foster youth.

We’ve started a volunteer effort called FosterWear. Through that effort, great businesses in urban and rural Alaska offer quality new clothing to foster youth at discount. New, quality clothing means a lot to a child who has little else. Own/manage a business and want to help? Call Yuri at the Office of Children’s Services (907) 451-5075.

Want to donate a new or used laptop? Used ones should be no more than five years old, run fast, and have a word processor. You can also donate to help purchase a laptop. We can get you in touch with the right person at Facing Foster Care in Alaska, which works with caseworkers to match computers with older youth (269-0106; rep.les.gara@akleg.gov). We’ll try our best to match a donated laptop with a child in your community.

Want to open your loving home to a child who doesn’t have one? We need good foster parents and parents who’ll adopt a child out of foster care (the state covers the cost of adopting foster youth). Contact the Alaska Center for Resource Families at (907) 279-1799.

Thanks to the current and former foster youth at Facing Foster Care in Alaska, including Director Amanda Metivier, for working with us to start the laptop and FosterWear efforts. We’re lucky to have youth who want to make life better for those who follow them.

And we’re lucky to have so many generous people throughout this state.

Rep. Les Gara is a Democratic member of the Alaska State House.