Built for the youth the system left behind.

Habitat for Students was founded on a simple belief: every young person who ages out of foster care deserves a real shot at life — and that starts with a safe place to call home.

The reality

They show up. We make sure they finish.

New research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows foster youth are enrolling in college in growing numbers. The barrier isn't ambition — it's the support system that disappears at age 21. HFS funds the whole college journey: housing, essential needs, and community from move-in day to graduation.

69–85%

finish high school

Far higher than most assume — these students are ready. They just need a stable place to land

29–64%

enroll in college

Foster youth are showing up — but without stable housing, many can't stay enrolled

🧱 HFS addresses this

8–12%

earn a college degree

vs. 49% of their peers — a five-fold gap that stable housing directly helps close

🧱 HFS addresses this

Age 21

SUPPORTS DISAPPEAR

Transition funding services and housing assistance end right in the middle of a student's college years

🧱 HFS addresses this

5×

the degree gap

Foster youth complete college at one-fifth the rate of their peers — not from lack of ability, but lack of support

🧱 HFS addresses this

3 barriers

identified by research

Unstable housing, loss of financial support, and limited mentoring — HFS directly addresses all three

🧱 HFS addresses this

Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation — "Foster Care Education Outcomes: New Research Challenges the 3% Myth" (Sept. 2025), based on the Okpych et al. systematic review of studies from 2000–2023, University of Connecticut.

Read the full report →

Where we started

Every year, thousands of young people age out of the foster care system with no family safety net, no stable housing, and no clear path forward. Nationally, 1 in 5 experience homelessness within a year of aging out. In Lawrence, Kansas — home to the University of Kansas — we saw an opportunity to change that story.

Habitat for Students was created to bridge the gap between foster care and a successful adult life. Our model is simple but powerful: provide free, stable housing near KU, then wrap students in the community support they need to stay enrolled, stay healthy, and build a future.

🧱

Kansas roots · Yellow Brick Road

Brick by brick — just like Kansas always has.

Kansas is known the world over for its yellow brick road. At HFS, we're building our own — one home at a time. Every brick laid near KU's campus is a step on the path from foster care to a future. It's not just construction. It's a promise.

What we believe

Stability first

A student can't learn when they're worried about where they'll sleep. We remove that barrier completely.

Holistic support

Housing is the foundation, not the finish line. We connect students to academic, social, and professional resources.

Community-driven

We don't work alone. Our power comes from partnerships — schools, universities, advocates, and Greek organizations.

Long-term thinking

We're not just helping students survive college. We're building adults who thrive for decades to come.

See our programs

From early youth guidance to university partnerships, see how HFS wraps support around students at every stage.

Our programs