What happens when a young person turns 18 and the system that has been responsible for them suddenly expects them to figure out adulthood on their own? For many young adults, leaving home for college comes with parents helping them move into a dorm, answering late-night phone calls, offering financial support, and reminding them that there is always somewhere to come home to. For youth aging out of foster care, that safety net may simply not exist. This week on Comfort Cases: UnPacked, Rob Scheer is joined by Eddie Sumlin and Kynya Cade of First Place for Youth, an organization helping transition-age foster youth build stable, independent lives through housing, education, employment, coaching, and long-term support. Eddie brings nearly two decades of experience helping young people pursue education and career opportunities. Kynya brings something equally important: lived experience. A former foster youth and current college student, Kynya has spent nearly three years in First Place for Youth's transitional housing program and is now an intern with the organization. Together, Rob, Eddie, and Kynya explore what “aging out” really looks like, why higher education can remain out of reach for so many foster youth, and the difference between expecting an 18-year-old to be independent and actually giving them the tools to succeed. At the center of the conversation is an important reminder: young people leaving foster care don't need lower expectations. They need the same support, opportunity, and people in their corner that every young person deserves. What “aging out” of foster care actually means for a young person The difference between turning 18 and truly being prepared for adulthood Why college can remain out of reach for foster youth even when they have the ability and ambition to succeed How housing instability can affect education, employment, and long-term independence Why First Place for Youth combines housing, education, employment, and individualized coaching What Kynya experienced as she transitioned from foster care into adulthood How stable support helped Kynya pursue college and begin helping other young people Why one consistent, caring adult can have an enormous impact on a young person's future What communities, employers, mentors, donors, and advocates can do to support youth leaving foster care Eddie Sumlin has dedicated nearly 20 years to helping young people achieve educational and career success. For the past eight years, he has worked with First Place for Youth, supporting former foster youth as they pursue higher education, employment, stable housing, and independent living. Before joining First Place for Youth, Eddie spent nearly a decade working with a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-supported college access initiative, helping students navigate the path to higher education. Today, his work focuses on making sure young adults leaving foster care have the resources, relationships, and opportunities they need not simply to survive adulthood, but to thrive. Kynya Cade is a 20-year-old former foster youth and student at Santa Monica College, where she is studying psychology. She has participated in First Place for Youth's transitional housing program for nearly three years and recently joined the organization as an intern. Kynya's journey offers a firsthand perspective on both the challenges young people can face when leaving foster care and what becomes possible when they have access to stable housing, education, meaningful relationships, and opportunity. Website: First Place for Youth Facebook: First Place for Youth Instagram: @FirstPlaceforYouth LinkedIn: First Place for Youth Kynya Cade: LinkedIn To find out more about Comfort Cases, please visit our website: www.comfortcases.org. You can also follow us on our social media channels: Facebook Instagram Twitter/X TikTok To listen to previous episodes of Comfort Cases: UnPacked, please visit www.comfortcases.org/podcast or your favorite podcast platform. 📩 Have thoughts, questions, or an idea for a future guest? Reach out at fosteringchange@comfortcases.org — we'd love to hear from you! Conversation HighlightsAbout Eddie SumlinAbout Kynya CadeConnect with First Place for Youth
