Keys to Success: Local nonprofit impacts nearly half of Arizona’s foster care population transitioning to adulthood
By Jude McGee
For over 40 years, Arizona Friends of the Foster Children Foundation (AFFCF) has operated with a mission to “create opportunities to build self-esteem and empower children and youth in foster care by funding services to enrich their life experiences and ensure their successful transition to adulthood.” Through three designated programs designed for specific age groups (0-20, 16-26, and 18-26), the organization served over 3,000 Arizona youth in the foster care system in 2025. There are approximately 8,000 children and youth in foster care in the state, according to the Arizona Department of Child Safety.
One of its programs for youth ages 16-26 is “Keys to Success.” The organization works with students one-on-one through an on-staff field team to help coach youth who are aging out of the foster care system with tools to navigate adulthood. The four pillars of the program’s coaching model include education, employment, housing, and financial literacy.
“Young people who are aging out of the foster care system lose potentially the only safety net they had,” said Amber Cordoba, Executive Director of AFFCF. “We go to them, build a relationship, personalize our approach and go at it from a human-centered perspective.”
To avoid the issue of transportation, field staff at AFFCF visit the youth where they are. There, they figure out the wants and needs of youth and guide them to understanding basic knowledge and achieving their goals. For example, according to Cordoba, if a participant expresses career goals, the coach will help them build a resume and plot out a career path.
“Foster youth lack social capital,” said Cordoba. “They lack somebody who is helping them navigate the challenges of either graduating from high school, getting a job, or staying housed. And so what our field team does is help with that navigation.”
According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, an estimated 8-12% of foster youth complete a two- or four-year degree by their mid-to-late 20s. This is compared to the national average of 49%. Also, of youth transitioning out of foster care, nearly one in five experienced homelessness from ages 17-19, and one in four from ages 19-21. Between the ages of 19-21, approximately one in seven were incarcerated.
In June 2023, the Keys to Success program expanded to include foster youth in Pima County. AFFCF achieved
this through a partnership with the CASA Support Council of Pima County, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the needs of foster youth in Southern Arizona. Since its arrival, Keys to Success has served 181 youth in Pima County through December 2025.
Olivia, a student in Pima County, received career planning, education exploration, transportation support, and housing stability education through the program. Now, at 19, she’s secured stable employment and has moved into her own apartment.
“My hope is that we continue to serve Pima County and expand to make sure all the youth have the same opportunities,” Cordoba said.
Amber Cordoba began her leadership at AFFCF earlier this year and looks forward to continuing the vital and comprehensive support of the nonprofit’s programs.
For more information about AFFCF, visit https://www.affcf.org/
For more information about Keys to Success, visit https://www.affcf.org/ways-we-help/keys-to-success/
