Your Georgia Tax Dollars Can Help a Young Person Build a Future
Years ago, longtime board member and supporter of Advocates for Children, Rob Hankinson of Heatco, asked a simple question: “What happens to these kids when they turn eighteen?”
That question helped spark our Youth Independent Housing program. Today, the Georgia Fostering Success Tax Credit lets taxpayers direct a portion of their state income taxes to programs like it.
At eighteen, a young person in Georgia foster care becomes a legal adult. Those who leave the system lose eligibility for many of the assistance programs they relied on, which makes finding housing harder.
Most young adults sign a first lease, search for jobs, and build a budget with a safety net beneath them. A young person leaving foster care handles the lease, the job search, and the budget without any guaranteed support.
Through our Youth Independent Housing program, young adults leaving foster care receive a year of support as they move toward independence. That includes housing assistance, guidance, and practical life skills for work, finances, and healthy relationships.
Your Georgia Tax Dollars Can Help Make It Possible
Taxpayers who make a qualifying contribution to a nonprofit like Advocates for Children receive a dollar-for-dollar Georgia income tax credit, subject to program rules and limits.
For example, if you owe $10,000 in Georgia income taxes and make an eligible $10,000 contribution, you may qualify for a $10,000 state tax credit. You choose where those tax dollars go.
Individuals, married couples, business owners, and corporations may be eligible to participate. Federal tax treatment varies with individual circumstances, so please speak with your CPA or tax professional.
A Local Business Putting Its Tax Dollars to Work
HeatCo, a Cartersville manufacturer, has supported Advocates for Children for nearly two decades. Their guiding belief is simple: When you are blessed with success, you are called to bless others.
The credit gave HeatCo another way to put that belief into action. By directing a portion of the Georgia taxes they already owe to Advocates for Children, HeatCo supports local youth on top of their ongoing giving. They call it “bonus giving.”That stability is the foundation for building something of their own.
What That Support Can Look Like
Imagine a nineteen-year-old holding the keys to a first apartment. For the next year, they have a plan and someone to call when things get hard. That stability is the foundation for building something of their own.
In 2025 , community members redirected $163,000 through the credit, helping approximately 130 youth and young adults across Northwest Georgia.
