When asked, what the options are for young adults aging out of foster care, Tova Baron-Loewenstein, Program Director of LifeSet said, “Many programs aimed at serving foster youth end services at age 21 when these Young Adults age out of care. They are forced to be independent at a very young and vulnerable developmental stage, and don’t always have the all the skills or supports necessary to thrive. There isn’t a great safety net for them and some end up homeless or incarcerated. Young Adults enrolled in LifeSet are able to stay in the program even after their DCP&P case closes. The LifeSet program fills a really important gap because the Specialists are able to stand in as supports to guide them in whatever area they need. The Specialists help them obtain stable housing, gain employment, learn to manage their budgets, take them to get their Drivers licenses, and even help them form closer relationships with their own social supports. They open up a lot of doors for these Young Adults. After 2 years of serving Young Adults, Tova Baron-Loewenstein and Michelle Raskin, along with their LifeSet staff; Grace Colon, Tara Cruz, Emmanuel Onwunaka, Michelle Raskin and Maria Rosario, brainstormed new ideas to grow the program. They felt strongly that group activities would benefit youth in many ways, including building their peer relationships, practicing social skills, and offering opportunities they otherwise may not have received. On Tuesday, August 16, 2022, the LifeSet program hosted an event at Top Golf in Edison. LifeSet staff, along with nine Young Adults were in attendance. The event focused on social skills building provided by LifeSet Specialist Tara Cruz. Young Adults participated in role plays to practice skills around coping with social anxiety and building peer connections. Following the skill building activities, Young Adults were treated to golf and lunch. Many Young Adults reported they had never golfed before and were excited to try it out. A friendly game of Topgolf became increasingly competitive when two Young Adults began combining their scores to rank higher than their Specialists, eventually landing them in first place. One Young Adult who attended reported “I like meeting new people and I’ve never had the chance to golf before. I had a lot of fun.” Another Young Adult said of the event “it was so cool. I liked meeting other people and talking to them. I never did something like that before. I’m usually shy.” This Young Adult, along with the new friends she made at Topgolf are already asking when the next event will take place. Young Adults exchanged contact information with one another, offering their support and bonding over their shared experiences. Several Young Adults that attended this event were at previous events which have included including a Chopped Style cooking class at the Edison office and a Yoga class at the park. Each event has had a higher turnout than the previous, demonstrating that Youth are seeing the benefits of these group events and are enjoying meeting other LifeSet Youth. All Young Adults provided input into what they would love to see next and we are already in the process of brainstorming an exciting event for September. The Catholic Charities LifeSet program services young adults ages 17-22 who reside in Essex, Middlesex, Mercer, Somerset and Union Counties. Young adults must be involved with DCP&P and be in an out of home placement at the time of enrollment. All referrals must come through the Office of Adolescent Services and young adults are pre-screened for eligibility. LifeSet Specialists meet with young adults in the community on a flexible schedule in order to best meet their needs. The LifeSet program also provides a 24/7 on-call service. For more information about Catholic Charities and their programs visit ccdom.org or follow them on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. *** Workman is the Communications Specialist in the Office of Communications and Public Relations