 The Opportunity Passport TM
The Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative is a national
foundation whose mission is to help youth in foster care make successful
transitions to adulthood. We bring together the people and resources needed to
help youth make the connections they need to education, employment, health care,
housing, and supportive personal and community relationships.
The Opportunity Passport™ is the centerpiece of the Initiative’s work.
Designed to organize resources and create opportunities for young people leaving
foster care, the Opportunity Passport™ is a promising new tool with three
related components:
- A personal debit account to be used to pay for short-term expenses;
- A matched savings account, also known as an Individual Development Account
(IDA), to be used for specific assets, such as education expenses and housing
down payments/deposits.
- Door openers, a host of opportunities to be developed on a local basis.
Examples include pre-approval for registration for community college courses
or expedited access to job-training or adult education courses.
The Opportunity Passport™ is helping participants learn financial management;
obtain experience with the banking system; save money for education, housing,
health care, and other specified expenses; and gain streamlined access to
educational, training, and vocational opportunities.
How Does the Opportunity Passport™ Work? The
Opportunity Passport™ is available to youth ages 14 through 23 who were in
foster care after their 14th birthday. Participants are recruited by
Community Partnership Boards and Youth Leadership Boards supported by the
Initiative. Following financial literacy training, participants receive a
wallet-size instruction booklet holding a customized Door Opener access card.
Debit cards and bank statements arrive directly from participating financial
institutions.
Where is the Opportunity Passport™ Available? The Initiative is
piloting the Opportunity Passport™ in these sites: Atlanta,
Denver, Des Moines, Detroit and 10
Michigan counties, Hartford,
Jacksonville, Kansas City, Nashville,
Providence, Portland, ME, San
Antonio, and San Diego.
How Can You Support The Opportunity Passport™?
With community foundations and local United Ways as potential partners,
communities, employers, and public agencies can support the adoption of the
Opportunity Passport™.
- Local funders can match IDA funds so participants acquire assets more
rapidly;
- Small businesses and large corporations can provide internships, mentoring
programs, and jobs to Opportunity Passport™ participants;
- Community and faith based organizations can offer Door Openers to assist
with education, mentor relationships, and youth leadership
opportunities;
- State and county child welfare officials can use Foster Care Independence
Act - or “Chafee” - dollars for matching funds or the creation of new Door
Openers.
State legislators Can Also Support the Opportunity
Passportä by:
- Working with community partners to make sure that state laws and
regulations are supportive of the Opportunity Passportä;
- Providing tax credits -- not just deductions -- to employers making
contributions to IDA programs.
- Identifying new and existing state resources that can be used to sustain
the Opportunity Passportä over the long-term;
- Engaging with local community leaders to initiate or expand an Opportunity
Passportä initiative.
For more information, go to www.jimcaseyyouth.org.
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