At Foster America, we believe that preventing unnecessary family separations starts with addressing the root causes that place families at risk. One of the biggest drivers is housing instability — today, 1 in 10 foster care placements nationwide stems from the lack of a stable home.
We are thrilled to announce a new partnership with Imagination Factory, Inc., alongside the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, to share and expand an innovative approach to address housing instability. The pilot project, Family Keys, was led in Wisconsin by Dustin Koury, a graduate of Foster America’s Fiscal Leadership Circle. Koury joins us in helping spread the word about how the program began, became sustainable, and can now be expanded to jurisdictions nationwide.
Family Keys began as a pilot in three Wisconsin counties, designed to give communities flexible funding to co-design housing supports directly with families. Instead of reacting after a crisis, counties could respond to families’ needs in real time, preventing the kind of instability that too often results in foster care placements.
The results are already compelling. In Marathon County, 77% of families completing the program maintained stable housing and avoided foster care — saving the county $256,000 in a single year while keeping children safely with their families.
This fall, Foster America and Imagination Factory will host national conversations with communities ready to design their own affordable housing projects informed by the Family Keys model. These sessions will be a chance to learn, ask questions, and spark the next wave of innovation.
Together, we will share what worked and help other communities adapt the model to their local needs.
Because every child deserves the stability of a safe home—and every family deserves the chance to thrive together.
