After years of having to pay their own housing costs, a new law is helping former foster youth at Virginia colleges breathe a sigh of relief.
News 3 first covered Virginia House Bill 700 in February. The bill, which calls on Virginia colleges to absorb room and board costs for students who were foster youth in the state's care, was signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin in April.
“Honestly, I had kind of no hope I would be able to pay off any of these loans," said Old Dominion University junior, Tori Stone-Cramer, of her concerns prior to the bill's passage through the General Assembly.
Stone-Cramer, 20, entered the foster system at 17 years old.
Though previous legislation qualified former foster youth for grants to cover tuition, they were still on the hook to pay for housing.
Watch previous coverage: Va. Senate considers bill to cover college housing costs for foster youth
This past semester, which just ended, was the first time the costs for Stone-Cramer's campus apartment were covered. She says her part-time job working at a daycare would not be enough to cover the bill — on top of being able to keep her grades up.
“Only 50 percent of youth in foster care complete high school and only three percent complete college," said Colleen Luksik, Vice President for Virginia Beach nonprofit Connect With a Wish.
The organization, which advocates for foster youth in Hampton Roads, worked with Del. Anne Ferrell Tata (R-Virginia Beach) to introduce HB700 and get it passed. However, Luksik says getting it into place has been a little rocky.
"They’re all getting a bill and panicking and calling and we’re contacting the schools," she said.
Alexia Hargrove says it’s a work in progress but is getting figured out.
“There were a couple wrinkles to iron out," Hargrove told News 3.
Alexia's role is another key provision of the room and board bill, which calls on colleges and universities to establish official points of contact for students who come from foster backgrounds.
The director of First Star Academy For Foster Youth is now helping guide those making the journey through college at ODU.
“Here at ODU, we have 13 (former foster youth), which is the most that we’ve ever had," she said.
Hargrove's first goal next semester is to meet with each, she says.
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Luksik tells me the room and board bill is helping several young adults she’s worked with, both in Hampton Roads in colleges in other parts of Virginia.
The State Council of Higher Education says it’s working on counting how many are benefiting statewide, but admits the number is growing.
“Our next goal is to get the word out—to raise awareness about the legislation," said Luksik.
She says if you can get into college and you’re in the state’s care, then cost shouldn’t have to be a concern. That's something Stone-Cramer can attest to: not having a bill for thousands of dollars is a huge weight off her shoulders.
"I know that I can do it, but I didn’t want the financial aspect to hinder me from doing it," she shared.
