Shelly Rio was born Michelle Corbin, the only child on her mother’s side. When she was three, Shelly’s mom passed away – she has never met her dad. Raised in several foster homes and group homes, Shelly learned how to survive at a much earlier age than other children. She was emancipated (“aged out”) of the foster care system and found herself on her own and a single mom at the age of 19.
Since she was a little girl, Shelly wanted to pursue a career as a model, but couldn’t begin to do so until she was out of the foster care system. After leaving the system, she worked at a number of different jobs while also beginning to pursue her modeling career. Her diligence and hard work paid off and, in spite of the odds being against her, Shelly managed to become successful and appeared in print ads, on magazine covers, in videos and on television.
Shelly’s time spent in the foster home system was never forgotten despite her success in modeling. She started the Shelly Rio Foundation to help bring to other foster home children the means by which to find the support, training in life skills, and mentoring that she herself was denied. Shelly now devotes herself to her non-profit foundation for emancipated foster-home youth and lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and her two sons. She is also at work on a book about her life growing up in a foster home.
About Shelly Rio Foundation
“The mission of the Shelly Rio Foundation (SRF) is to support and encourage the emotional, social, and economic development of emancipated foster youth and to help complete their education, achieve self-sufficiency, and teach basic life-skills. SRF provides services for financial and behavioral management, access to affordable housing, child development services, mentorship, and job training.
We believe that by providing these services, these individuals will develop into healthy, responsible, independent members of society that have positive self-esteem and clarify their values on which to build a successful life.”
Needs
It seems hard to believe that when foster-home children are “emancipated” out of their foster homes when they turn 18, over 1/5 of those young men and women will soon be homeless. The foster-home system is, unfortunately, unable to provide them with the basic life skills, housing, and means of producing an income that make the critical difference between self-sufficiency and homelessness.
At age 18 these young men and women are forced out into to the world with no job, no real place to live and no one to turn to for help, support or advice. Apply online to be a mentor or volunteer.
Mentoring
Strong role models, positive influence, and lasting relationships can provide the essential support for young adults thrown unprepared into independence. We will provide mentors that will guide them in the right direction as well as be a friend.
Apply online to be a transition-age foster youth mentor.
Education
Good jobs with futures require general knowledge, reading and math skills, and proficiency in computers and technology. We will provide scholarships, application help, GED information, and a list of colleges that have independent living programs and cater to foster youth.
Housing
Young adults who haven’t had a permanent home need stability. This begins with a place to live –a place that they can call home. We will provide referrals and housing grants.
Internships
On-the-job training builds skills, confidence, and a network of working with friends and associates; we will provide internship referrals and in-house internships.
Job Placement Aid
Employment provides a secure income, encourages accomplishment, and helps create responsible adults. We will provide referrals to job placement agencies, help with resume building, interviewing skills, organizational skills and time management.
Life Skills
Life Skills prepare these young adults to live on their own and prepare a path for them to be independent. We will provide classes to teach these young adults how to do laundry, dishwashing, self care, money management, grocery shopping, social skills, home living, healthy relationships, etc.
