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Mesa organization supports young adults aging out of foster care system

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Published  May 23, 2026 2:37 PM MST
Mesa
FOX 10 Phoenix

The Brief

    • Foster Arizona, an organization funded entirely by community support, provides housing and wrap-around services to help young adults transition out of the foster care system.
    • Program participants Terrence Mates and Maura Coe shared how the organization helped them build self-esteem, learn life skills, and overcome trust struggles.
    • Foster Arizona founder Kim Vehon launched the nonprofit in 2013 to support the more than 800 young adults who age out of foster care every year.

MESA, Ariz. - An organization based in Mesa is providing housing and wrap-around services to help young adults transition out of the foster care system.

What we know:

"We find ways to connect people into resources and into their community," Foster Arizona founder Kim Vehon said.

Vehon, a foster mom, founded the organization in 2013, supporting kids in the foster care system and the over 800 young adults who transition out of foster care each year. The organization provides housing and wrap-around services.

"How do we allow youth who are disconnected to understand they're in a community that supports them and loves them, helps them get their feet underneath them and let them know they have a future," Vehon said.

Local perspective:

Terrence Mates, 22, and Maura Coe, 23, weren't dealt an easy life.

"Father was an alcoholic and mom didn't know how to take care of me and my brother. So I was living with my grandparents," Mates said.

Coe was living in a group home until she turned 18.

"They said on my graduating day that had to leave and i didn't have anywhere to go," Coe said.

Dig deeper:

"I've had people you know walk in and out of my life, so trust was a very big struggle for me coming into this program," Mates said.

Coe says she's learned everything from how to navigate the bus system, to how to budget and meal prep. For Coe and Mates, they've gained self-esteem and have learned they're not alone.

"Being able to stay disciplined, having my mind on track, being able to stay connected with the community, being able to speak up for others, that's a real big thing, it's just crazy how far I've come honestly," Mates said.

Why you should care:

The two are living proof of what can happen when people simply lend a hand and open their hearts.

"We do not take state funds. It is all supported by the community, the community who believes they are valuable enough to make this viable for them," Vehon said.

Mates is now getting into acting, while Coe is raising her son and working to be a pharmacy technician.

"This is the help to get to where you want to be. this is not the end," Coe said.

The Source: This information was gathered by Foster Arizona's founder and two adults who were part of the organization. 

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