"When I 'aged out' of foster care, I had no family support. My mother passed away when I was 10 years old, and my father abandoned me shortly thereafter. From that time on, I lived in group home foster placements (due to lack of foster parents willing to take in teenagers in my home state of Kentucky).
I started college at age 16, and was legally emancipated shortly thereafter.
For the first two years of college, I received grants, as well as my mother's Social Security check, which I used to pay my living expenses such as rent and groceries. When I turned 18, I no longer received the Social Security checks, so I worked up to five part-time jobs at a time while attending college and graduate school.
In order to attend graduate school, I had to take out student loans. I was hired shortly after finishing graduate school, but my job was in another state. Shouldering the burden of student loans, plus buying a car, getting an apartment and moving expenses was a lot to manage. So I deferred the loans -- and the interest accumulated.
Now, I've been out of school for seven years. I am married, a homeowner, and have no credit debt. But those student loans will follow me for the rest of my life... which is probably how long it will take me to pay them back."
Tell the Senate to help people like Lisa:
http://capwiz.com/mobilize/issues/alert/?alertid=9291121&type=CO
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