By Devin Cornia | June 19, 2026
The following is an excerpt from the June 2026 Edible Jersey article. Read the full article here.
A VISION FOR A HOME
With inspiration and guidance from fellow care farms, Fostering Farmers was officially formed in 2022 and received its 501(c)3 nonprofit designation in 2025, with Hock serving as executive director. Alongside its founder, the Fostering Farmers team includes a handful of devoted board members with experience and expertise in social work, agriculture, food security, nursing, nonprofit management, and grant writing. Friends and supportive community members also play a role, from fundraising support to volunteer workdays on the farm. Hock’s husband and children will be pitching in every step of the way, too.
Fostering Farmers aims to provide housing and employment to support young adults who have aged out of New Jersey’s foster care system and help them transition to a self-sufficient, independent life. Once a residence is found for the organization, the program will combine stable housing with a variety of therapeutic activities, paid workplace training, community engagement, and support with education and life skills.
Workdays will be structured with both individual and team responsibilities, creating a sense of interdependence that many foster youth instinctively shy away from. Meals will be shared and prepared by the residents to learn healthy cooking and eating habits while also developing a greater sense of community and belonging.
Ideally, young adults will be equipped with a GED (equivalent to a high school diploma), job skills, a support network, and improved financial literacy, alongside another unexpected target for the program: “One of my goals is that they leave with a car,” Hock explains, as a lack of transportation can be a significant barrier to finding employment, finding healthy food, and accessing resources to support their independence and stability Hock anticipates the program lasting up to four years for each individual, but also insists that their support has no end. “I want them to know that they can come back for holidays, that they can come back for breaks, they can come back for dinner, they can come back for a hug.”
Read the full article here.
The mission of Fostering Farmers is to provide employment and housing on a farm to support young adults aging out of the foster care system and help them transition to a self-sufficient, independent life. Learn more about their work on their website.
