Together We Can Foundation

We are moving the needle! We are proud to have played a significant role in the reduction of youth disconnection in the region. Based on reports produced by the Social Science Research Council, Hampton Roads has dropped from 35,200 disconnected youth in 2015 to 19,800 in 2023. Our ranking out of 98 metropolitan areas studied improved from 45th to 35th when it comes to disconnected youth. Our supporters have been the catalyst for this amazing change, and we can say with confidence that our efforts have made life better in Hampton Roads. We have ambitious goals. Each year, we reach 1,300 to 1,500 youth with our success skills training. We’ve redesigned our Smart Transitions Course to include new content focusing on grit and resilience—two factors that research indicates are the primary drivers in adult life success. We’ve also added a program to give middle schoolers the skills they will need to be successful in high school and have started Smart Transitions Online for youth who can't attend one of our classes. Ms. Terry Jenkins, our founder, passed away in June 2023 but her work lives on in our hearts and souls. She left us a generous bequest in her will, and we hope you too will consider such a legacy. But her greatest gift was her idea in 2008 to help youth aging out of foster care in Virginia Beach. Since then, we have expanded our reach to include all disconnected youth and have changed the lives of more than youth throughout Hampton Roads. The Terry Jenkins Society is for generous people like her who donate or more annually. We invite you to join us in helping disconnected youth transition to adult independence and the workforce.