Aging out of the foster care system is a tough reality for hundreds of New Jersey teenagers when they reach the age of 18. And without proper preparation, these teens face a higher risk of homelessness compared to their peers. To address this issue, we worked with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families to create William Waldman Independence House—a safe, inviting, and inspiring residence which provides not only housing, but also supportive services for young men leaving the foster care system.

Independence House (or "Indy House" as we call it) is located right next door to our headquarters on Spruce Street. Indy provides support and structure to young men ages 18 to 21 who have aged out of foster care or are otherwise homeless and helps them successfully transition to independent living. Each resident has his own bedroom, as well as access to the common kitchen and recreation area.

Today, we bid farewell to one of our residents, O'Brien Walters, as he moves into his own apartment. O'Brien first moved to Indy back in July of 2020 when he was just 19 years old, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. While at Indy, he gained independent living skills such as learning to cook and clean, building credit, and making doctors' appointments for himself for the first time. O'Brien also secured a job as a UPS package handler before being promoted to a UPS supervisor position last fall.

Now 21 years old, with help from the Indy staff, O'Brien was able to find an apartment in our neighborhood of Paterson, just blocks from Indy House. He said, "I am going to miss Indy House –celebrating holidays together, our weekly baking groups where we learned to bake cakes, and monthly trips to places like waterparks, bowling, dinners, and movies. But most of all, I will miss the people and the relationships I have created during my time at Indy."

NJCDC Director of Residential Operations Robin Murray said, "O'Brien is highly motivated to succeed. Throughout his residency at Indy, O'Brien revealed a commitment to improving his life skills and learning to be independent and self-sufficient. O'Brien always ensured that he consistently met his resident expectations and served as a role model and "leader" for the other young men in the program."

When asked what advice he would give his peers, O'Brien said, "I would advise my fellow Indy residents to really take this opportunity while at Indy to learn what you can and develop the skills needed to make sure you are successful during your transition to independent living. Take advantage of everything they're offering!"

NJCDC Founder & CEO Bob Guarasci said, "While O'Brien is only physically moving a few blocks away, he's moving much further than that on his path to independence. O'Brien, we look forward to seeing you around our neighborhood, and remember you'll always be part of the NJCDC family!"

Please join us in wishing O'Brien the best of luck in his future endeavors!