Foster Nation

FOSTER NATION ENGAGES AND EMPOWERS THE COMMUNITY TO PREPARE, SUPPORT AND EMPOWER (SEE SCH O) FOSTER YOUTH AGING OUT OF THE SYSTEM TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT ADULTS BY PROVIDING RESOURCES, SOCIAL SUPPORT, AND MENTORSHIP. OUR MAIN PROGRAMS ARE 1) CAREERX TO HELP FOSTER YOUTH DEVELOP PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS NECESSARY FOR ADULTHOOD; 2) THE ESSENTIALS TO HELP BUILD CONFIDENCE IN FOSTER YOUTH BY PROVIDING ESSENTIAL RESOURCES; 3) MEAL NATION TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY; 4) THE COLLECTIVE TO RAISE AWARENESS AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF FOSTER YOUTH WHILE DEVELOPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF IMPACT LEADERS; AND 5) DEFY IMPOSSIBLE SCHOLARSHIP TO CREATE A CAREER PATHWAY INTO THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY.

THE ESSENTIALS - (PREVIOUSLY SHOPPING DAYS OR BASIC NEEDS) FREE SHOPPING DAYS FOR FOSTER YOUTH: WE HELP BUILD CONFIDENCE IN FOSTER YOUTH BY PROVIDING ESSENTIAL RESOURCES VIA FREE POP-UP SHOPPING DAYS FOR YOUTH TO SHOP FOR PROFESSIONAL AND CASUAL CLOTHING, TOILETRIES, BEAUTY PRODUCTS, AND ACCESSORIES. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE FOSTER YOUTH FEEL CONFIDENT AS THEY PURSUE THEIR PROFESSIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL DREAMS.

SPARKS OF LOVE - (WORKING NAME: BIG SPARKS; PREVIOUSLY MILESTONE GIFTS) CELEBRATORY GIFTS TO CELEBRATE THE SMALL AND BIG MOMENTS IN LIFE : WE PROVIDE CELEBRATORY GIFTS FOR FOSTER YOUTH DURING IMPORTANT MILESTONES/EVENTS IN THEIR LIVES, SUCH AS HIGH SCHOOL OR COLLEGE GRADUATION, BACK TO SCHOOL, OR BIRTHDAYS. OUR GOAL IS TO REMIND YOUTH THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THEM AND ARE IN THEIR CORNER.DEFY IMPOSSIBLE FUND - BUILDING SKILLS-BASED CAREER PATHWAYS TO THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY: THE DEFY IMPOSSIBLE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, SPONSORED BY KATE SOMERVILLE SKINCARE, CREATES A CAREER PATHWAY AND PIPELINE FOR FOSTER YOUTH INTERESTED IN CAREERS IN BEAUTY - PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE NOT PURSUING HIGHER EDUCATION. SINCE AUGUST 2021, WE HAVE AWARDED 5 FULL-TUITION SCHOLARSHIPS OF $15,000 PER YOUTH TO COVER THE COST OF COSMETOLOGY SCHOOL AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO MENTORS ACROSS THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY. SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS RECEIVE A MENTOR FROM THE KATE SOMERVILLE TEAM TO PROVIDE APPLICATION AND COURSEWORK SUPPORT, AND SPECIAL TRAINING THAT FOCUSES ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY. SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR EMPLOYMENT CONSIDERATION UPON EARNING THEIR ESTHETICIAN LICENSE. WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE THAT TWO OF OUR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS HAVE GRADUATED FROM PAUL MITCHELL AND AVEDA INSTITUTE WITH COSMETOLOGY LICENSES THIS YEAR, WHILE ONE MORE RECIPIENT IS WAITING TO BE ENROLLED BEFORE THE END OF 2022; AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO ENROLLING TWO MORE FOSTER YOUTH IN EARLY 2023. SPEAKUP SERIES - SOCIAL CAMPAIGN TO CHANGE THE FOSTER CARE NARRATIVE & SELF ADVOCACY FOR FOSTER YOUTH: THE #SPEAKUP SERIES IS A SAFE AND ENCOURAGING PLATFORM FOR FOSTER YOUTH TO FEEL SEEN AND HEARD BY TELLING THE STORIES OF THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN FOSTER CARE. FAR TOO OFTEN, YOUTH THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED FOSTER CARE ARE DEFINED BY THE DISMAL STATISTICS OR THE MEDIA'S BLEAK PORTRAYAL OF A "WOUNDED OR "DAMAGED" PERSON. OUR GOAL IS TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AROUND FOSTER CARE TO HELP REMOVE THE STIGMA OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A FORMER FOSTER YOUTH. TOGETHER WITH OUR YOUTH, WE ENCOURAGE AND BELIEVE THAT IF YOU CAN SPEAK IT, YOU CAN HEAL IT. OUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS EXIST TO SHINE A BRIGHT AND POSITIVE LIGHT ON THE PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF FOSTER YOUTH, AND TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THE BARRIERS THAT YOUTH FACE UPON AGING OUT. THROUGH THE SPEAKUP SERIES, WE AIM TO BUILD A SUPPORTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY FOR FOSTER YOUTH TO FEEL EMPOWERED - TO FEEL SEEN AND HEARD, VALUED AND SUPPORTED IN THEIR JOURNEYS, BY PUTTING A SPOTLIGHT ON THEIR EXPERIENCES IN THEIR OWN WORDS. WHEN FORMER FOSTER YOUTH SHARE THEIR STORIES OF STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE, THEY GIVE HOPE TO THOSE WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN THE SYSTEM, AND REMIND US ALL THAT WE'RE NOT ALONE.THE COLLECTIVE - COMMUNITY & PEER ADVOCACY FOR FOSTER CARE : THE FOSTER NATION COLLECTIVE IS A COMMUNITY-LED INITIATIVE WITH THE INTENT ON FOSTERING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FUTURE DONORS, SUPPORTERS, MENTORS, AND FOSTER PARENTS FOR THE FOSTER CARE COMMUNITY. THIS LOS ANGELES-BASED VOLUNTEER AMBASSADOR GROUP CONSISTS OF PROFESSIONALS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS THAT ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT DRIVING MORE AWARENESS, AND THEREBY SYSTEMIC CHANGE, FOR THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, THE COLLECTIVE HAS HELPED TO RAISE AWARENESS THROUGH ANNUAL FUNDRAISING AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT SUPPORT FOSTER NATION'S VARIOUS INITIATIVES - FROM: - POP-UP SHOPPING DAYS IN LA COUNTY FOR FORMER FOSTER YOUTH TO GET ESSENTIAL NEEDS - ANNUAL NETWORKING EVENTS TO HELP FOSTER YOUTH DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL SKILLS - WEBINARS AND OTHER SUBJECT-MATTER DISCUSSIONS TO HELP YOUTH GAIN LIFE SKILLS IN ORDER TO HELP YOUTH BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENTTHE COLLECTIVE'S MISSION IS TO RAISE AWARENESS THROUGH CAMPAIGNS THAT BRING THE FOSTER CARE EXPERIENCES TO LIGHT AND EMPOWER FOSTER YOUTH TO BECOME SELF ADVOCATES.

CAREERX - 6 MONTH CAREER COACHING PROGRAM: WE ENSURE FOSTER YOUTH HAVE EQUAL FOOTING WHEN THEY ENTER THE PROFESSIONAL WORLD BY MATCHING THEM WITH A DEDICATED ONE-ON-ONE CAREER COACH, AND PROVIDING THEM WITH CAREER READINESS TRAINING NECESSARY TO HELP THEM BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT POST FOSTER CARE. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP FOSTER YOUTH DEVELOP FOUNDATIONAL LIFE AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS NECESSARY TO ENTER THE REAL WORLD. WE BELIEVE THAT ONE MEANINGFUL CONNECTION CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

MEAL NATION - FREE MEAL DELIVERY/PICK UP SERVICE TO FIGHT FOOD INSECURITY: DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE LAUNCHED THE MEAL NATION PROGRAM TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY FOR FOSTER YOUTH STUDENTS IN COLLEGE. THIS WAS DONE BY PROVIDING YOUTH WITH FREE MEALS FOR 30-60-90 DAYS THAT CAN EITHER BE PICKED UP FROM A LOCAL RESTAURANT, THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH BENTO, OR DELIVERED THROUGH OUR PARTNER FRESHLY. WE DISTRIBUTED 76,000+ MEALS TO OVER 2,000 FOSTER YOUTH. CURRENTLY, WE PARTNER DIRECTLY WITH COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN CALIFORNIA TO PROVIDE MEAL NATION AS AN EMERGENCY-BASED PROGRAM FOR FOSTER YOUTH STUDENTS IN GUARDIAN SCHOLAR PROGRAMS.