. Stability first. Momentum next. Stronger futures together. ➡️A young person can earn a credential and still struggle to get to work. ➡️They can enroll in college and face uncertainty about where they will sleep or how they will afford their next meal. ➡️For youth aging out of foster care, these barriers can interrupt hard-earned progress. That reality guided “Stability First, Momentum Next: Building Real Pathways to Independence for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care,” presented at the 2026 Georgia Conference on Children and Families by Monica Pantoja, Executive Director, and Dr. Kent Branch, Managing Director of Programs and Impact, of The nsoro Educational Foundation, alongside Mike Daly, President of The Orange Duffel Bag Initiative. Our conversation connected housing stability, postsecondary persistence, and credential-to-career pathways with the everyday supports that make participation possible: reliable transportation, food security, coaching, and life skills. When providers coordinate referrals, clarify next steps, and follow through together, young people have a clearer path from accessing an opportunity to sustaining it. Thank you to Together Georgia’s Executive Director, Judge Juanita Stedman; Deputy Director, Claire Cantrell; and Membership Administrator, Tashawnta-Wells Abel, for inviting us and creating space for this discussion. We are grateful to our co-presenting partner, The Orange Duffel Bag Initiative, Georgia DFCS, and all partners and professionals who engaged in our Consultancy Lab! This year’s theme, Unite, Serve, Thrive, speaks directly to our shared responsibility. We look forward to continuing these conversations and strengthening the partnerships that help Georgia’s youth build stable, independent futures. #GCCF2026 #TogetherGeorgia #UniteServeThrive #FosteringFutures #WorkforceDevelopment @odbi_teamorange