Connect With A Wish

CONNECT WITH A WISH

Connect With a Wish, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 2014 in the home of our President and Founder, Joy Rios. Based in Virginia Beach, CWW connects local youth and young adults in Hampton Roads foster care with the generosity of our community, providing the resources and support they need to grow into positive and productive members of society. Today, we are proud to serve nearly 750 youth in foster care each year.

Growth is more than a goal for us this year—it’s a promise. A promise to reach more youth, deepen our impact, and build the relationships that make lasting change possible. As the needs of the children we serve continue to rise, so does Connect With A Wish’s commitment to expand our programs, strengthen our community, and ensure every child has access to the resources, support, and care they deserve.

In 2025 alone, CWW served our clients 3,440 times through a variety of year-round services, including the Holiday Project that fulfilled 429 requests for holiday gifts from foster families and the Birthday Brigade initiative, which provided 206 birthday kits so that children received a celebration (many of whom do not have birthday celebrations while in care).

PLEASE CONSIDER CONNECT WITH A WISH DURING THE 2026 GIVE LOCAL 757 GIVING DAY!

YOUR DONATION IS A PART OF SUPPORTING OUR SUCCESS: 

Your gift during Give Local 757 helps prevent homelessness, foster adult independence, and decrease the cycle of foster care dependence in Hampton Roads. Donors just like you help us provide case management to youth aging out and facing homelessness, pay for emergency housing for those currently homeless, provide food directly to food-insecure youth and young adults, and provide the items necessary for adults to achieve and maintain permanent independence! We offer the following wraparound services, and more, to help youth in care prepare for their next steps:

Transition to Independence is CWW's department of case management services. Through these services, young adults at risk of homelessness (or already homeless) receive wrap-around case management services to assist in applying for the federal Foster Youth to Independence housing assistance voucher. Our case managers work with the youth for the 36 months they are on the voucher.  This program has recently expanded its services to the city of Chesapeake and we hope to continue this growth throughout the Hampton Roads area. 

Our Connect to Careers skills development program monitors our clients as they move through professional and personal skills development, central to adult independence. Successful completion of this program is structured through five central activities: 1) Developing a Transportation Plan, 2) Polishing their Resumes, 3) Refining their Interview Skills, 3) Creating a Financial Plan, 4) Completing Job Training and Additional Education and 5) Securing a Housing Plan. Young adults are directly connected to local employers who share information on their workplaces and their hiring process in Mission:Possible workshops as well as exclusive hiring events directly with area employers. 

According to the National Foster Youth Institute, 70% of young women who age out of foster care become pregnant before the age of 21 (NFYI, 2017). Mom Squad brings together young mothers (ages 17–25) who are in foster care or have recently aged out, creating a supportive community designed to combat this trend. Through meaningful peer connections, access to parenting resources, and guidance in essential life and adult education topics, we aim to break the cycle of foster care dependence and promote long-term stability. We are working to expand Mom Squad by introducing in-home case management, allowing us to provide more personalized, hands-on support that meets our moms where they are and strengthens their path toward independence.

To support these activities in their daily lives, our clients can submit Nest & Necessities requests to our Connect to Careers Program Manager. These requests provide resources and support for older youth and young adults aging out of Foster Care. We provide work uniforms and technology assistance so that our clients can find and maintain employment, as well as fulfill requests for utility assistance and transportation requests, including rideshare services and bus passes for those without stable transportation, but also regular and emergency maintenance as needed.  Wish to Dish provides a basket filled with non-perishable pantry staples and basic cleaning supplies for out aged-out youth as they move into their first-ever home. In addition, pantry items are available year-round for this population.