LEXINGTON, Ky. – This May, in recognition of National Foster Care Month, the University of Kentucky College of Social Work is highlighting the Grounded Together Fund, a Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) class initiative designed to support students with lived experience in foster care as they navigate college.
Created by the 2025 DSW cohort, The Grounded Together Fund provides resources such as educational materials, mentorship opportunities, extracurricular and leadership development, and emergency assistance for former foster youth attending UK.
For DSW student Arielle Skinner, that support is deeply personal.
“I actually grew up in the foster care system from about 3 years old and aged out at 21,” Skinner shared. “I went on to college, earned my bachelor’s and my master’s in social work.”
Now in the DSW program, Skinner said her path to UK was shaped by both her lived experience and a desire to expand her impact.
“One of the things that really drew me to UK was the work being done with foster youth and kinship care,” she said. “I knew this was where I needed to be.”
Skinner said National Foster Care Month is an opportunity to bring greater awareness to a population that is often overlooked.
“It’s not always at the forefront of conversations in our communities,” Skinner said. “There isn’t a deeper understanding of what foster care is, what the experience is like or the outcomes for those leaving the system.”
The Grounded Together Fund aims to address those gaps by providing flexible support for students. Resources can be used for housing during academic breaks, food, books, technology and other essential needs.
“The funds can be used in ways that meet real needs,” Skinner said. “That flexibility is what makes it so powerful.”
Beyond meeting immediate needs, Skinner said the fund represents a broader commitment to recognizing and supporting students with foster care experience.
“If we are going to talk about outcomes for youth leaving foster care, we also need to talk about how we support them,” Skinner said. “If we want successful outcomes, it is a collective responsibility.”
As part of this effort, the College has launched the Grounded Together: Legacy Challenge, inviting CoSW alumni and supporters to give back and build a lasting legacy for future students—each graduating class would donate their graduating year (i.e. class of 2026 would donate $20.26).
To make a gift, please visit the UK Giving website and mark the Fund Selection: Social Work, and for Gift Instructions: Gift for Grounded Together.
