Join Us at An NFYI Event

NEXT EVENT:
March 15-15, 2025

Join the National Foster Youth Institute on March 15, 2025 in Beverly Hills for an afternoon of inspiration and celebration at the 2025 Tribute to Foster Care Champions!

Featuring Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and honoring Kelly McKee Zajfen for her transformational contributions to foster youth and families.

The following sponsorships are currently available:

NEW Champion of Youth Circle ($75,000)
10 tickets to Reception & Lunch
Premiere Seating
Listing as Champion of Youth on all materials
Full Page Ad in Virtual Program
Exclusive invitation to NFYI Policy Briefing with Decision Makers (either in Los Angeles or Washington, DC)
2 tickets to LA Shadow Day Luncheon
4 tickets to Congressional Leadership Academy Shadow Day Luncheon in Washington, DC

Visionary Circle ($50,000)
6 tickets to Reception & Lunch
Preferred Seating
Listing as Visionary Circle on all materials
Half Page Ad in Virtual Program
Exclusive invitation to NFYI Policy Briefing with Decision Makers (either in Los Angeles or Washington, DC)
2 tickets to LA Shadow Day Luncheon
4 tickets to Congressional Leadership Academy Shadow Day Luncheon in Washington, DC

Empowerment Circle ($25,000)
4 tickets to Reception & Lunch
Preferred Seating
Listing as Empowerment Circle on all materials
Quarter Page Ad in Virtual Program
Invitation to special NFYI events around the country
2 tickets to LA Shadow Day Luncheon

Transformational Circle ($10,000)
2 tickets to Reception & Lunch
Preferred Seating
Listing as Transformational Circle on all Materials
Quarter Page Ad in Virtual Program

Engagement Circle ($5,000)
1 ticket to Reception & Lunch
Preferred Seating
Listing as Engagement Circle on All Materials

Voice Circle ($2,500)
1 Ticket to Reception & Lunch

Program Sponsor ($1,000)
(For Those Unable to Attend)
Quarter Page Ad in Virtual Program Book
No Tickets to Event

Early Bird Individual Ticket ($1,000)
1 Ticket to Reception & Lunch

Early Bird Individual Ticket ($500)
1 Ticket to Reception & Lunch

$500 Early Bird Program Sponsor)
(For Those Unable to Attend)
1/8 Page Ad in Virtual Program Book
No Tickets to Event

Upcoming Events

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Statement by Rebecca Louve Yao, Executive Director, National Foster Youth Institute

NFYI Supports Lawsuit to Force State and County to Fulfill Obligation to Foster Youth—Calls for Parties to Meet Immediately

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The class action lawsuit filed by public-interest law firms Public Counsel, the Alliance for Children’s Rights, Children’s Rights, and Munger, Tolles & Olsen LLP against the California Department of Social Services, California Health and Human Services Agency, California Department of Health Care Services, Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, and the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health lays out an overwhelmingly strong case that the defendant governmental entities have failed to meet their constitutional and statutory obligations. It does not propose or suggest ways to provide the housing, mental health, and other supportive services to which youth in and exiting foster care are entitled. If successful, the lawsuit will require the defendants, in consultation with the plaintiffs and the court, to develop a comprehensive plan to address the system deficiencies. If this process were to wait until the case winds its way through the judicial system, additional youth will be harmed by these same failures.
The legal action must and should go forward, but youth in care should not have to wait for that resolution to have their needs addressed. NFYI calls on all of the defendant governmental organizations to come together now with the plaintiffs, their attorneys, and others they may designate, to develop a comprehensive plan to fully address the needs of youth in our care.
NFYI is a youth development organization that works directly with current and former foster youth aged 18-30. We are committed to working with our national, regional and local partners, current and former foster youth and families to create systemic solutions for current and former foster youth in Los Angeles County.
Our members know firsthand the struggles of youth failed by the system during and after their time in care. They have experienced inadequate placements, lack of access to urgently needed mental health services, and exclusion from placement on the basis of parenting or pregnancy or mental health disability. The failure to serve youth adequately prior to leaving care has profound negative effects on the next few years, causing homelessness and housing insecurity, emotional instability, and unemployment, and undermining a successful transition to adulthood.
NFYI understands these issues through the lived experiences of the people we try to help:

● 95% of our members in L.A. have experienced housing insecurity or homelessness;
● 25% are actively housing insecure and
● 20% are currently in extended foster care;
● Many face a housing cliff as they age out of child welfare services.

In our work on the ground in L.A., we hear constantly from our members about their traumatic experiences transitioning from foster care with little to no support in navigating housing. Often they are given outdated phone numbers or websites with no other information, a continuation of the system failing to appropriately assist them in their transition to adulthood. Members often have only their peers or mentors to help them navigate, and for some, there is no network of support. A key focus NFYI’s new strategic plan is finding solutions for the postsecondary education housing crisis.

At this critical point in time, the class action lawsuit against the State of California and LA County is an important tool to try and remedy these inequities. As it goes forward, the thinking and action of all parties must be directed to the urgent need for solutions now.

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