Janine was in and out of the foster care system starting at age 3. Over the years, Janine was in 5 residential placements, 7 traditional foster home placements, and 1 kinship placement. Janine is now working towards a degree in Criminal Justice and hopes to one day go into law enforcement and social work. Janine states that she wants to go into social work because, “I want to be there for someone like someone was there for me.” Since aging out of care, Janine has been involved in the local Chafee program. She has been volunteering her time to mentor the youth and help them understand that they are not alone. Janine believes that every youth should have a voice and a plan for their life. While in care, Janine was on the State Youth Advisory Board for 1 year in 2009. Janine has 4 biological siblings, and 6 foster siblings that she still keeps in touch with. Janine’s younger sister is currently living with her. Janine has been taking the time to teach her sister life skills, help her find a job, and take control of her life. Janine enjoys listening to music, reading, staying active in sports, and playing with her dog Shenanigans.
