Too old for foster housing, young men find home at Bridge to Brighter
NEWS & MEDIA
Aaron Whitlock (center), Antonio 'A.J.' Price (left), Daniel Conner and David Comer, Bridge to Brighter's mental health facilitator (right in plaid shirt), embrace following a prayer to close out their session on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2025. The young men are part of Bridge to Brighter, a support program that helps young males who are aging out of the foster care program. The young men share openly about the pain of their past while focusing on their hopes and dreams. For many, the group has become the family that they never had.
Angela Peterson / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Aaron Whitlock grabbed a pair of fresh white Nikes to match the pink sweatshirt and acid-wash jeans laid out on his bed in his new apartment.
Whitlock’s senior year at Washington High School was a month away, but that wouldn’t stop him from choosing his first day of school outfit on an afternoon in August 2025.
For years in foster care, Whitlock moved to new, often crowded places. Sometimes he worried about people taking his things or doing him wrong.
But the 18-year-old’s new one-bedroom apartment is a breath of fresh air. His first week in the apartment in July, he relished in hours of sleep without interruption.
“This is a place where you can come and stay in peace,” Whitlock said.