Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day
NFYI's Annual, week-long Congressional Foster Youth Shadow Day experience is right around the corner! Visit the Shadow Day 2022 page to learn more about our unique program, this year's delegates, and how you can get involved.
Putting Current and Former Foster Youth Face-to-Face with Their Representatives

In a video shared with Congress, members discuss how COVID-19 impacted their lives
Delegates share their personal stories and experiences in the child welfare system with Congressmembers and remind them of the real-world impact their work has on children in foster care.


Advocating on behalf of foster youth seemed only natural to me.

Yolonda Washburn
Congressional Shadow Day Delegate

Apply for Shadow Day:
This program is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 30 who has experience in foster care and is eager to take on an active role in transforming the child welfare system. Apply for Shadow Day 2022 here.
To be notified when we’re accepting applications for the next Shadow Day program, please sign up for our emails.
Host a Foster Youth:
Members of Congress find hosting a young adult during Shadow Day to be an eye-opening, rewarding experience. In addition to spending time meeting with their Congressmember, many delegates join meetings and briefings, get tours of the House floor or offices, and meet with legislative aides. The shadow experience ends with a lunch in the Rayburn Building, where members and staff join all of the delegates and special surprise guests for a celebratory end to the program. If your office would like to host a delegate at the next Shadow Day, please reach out to contact@nfyi.org.


Sponsor a Delegate:
It’s important to NFYI that cost not be a barrier to entry for participation in this program. That’s why we cover all expenses for every delegate, no matter where they’re from. Sponsors make it possible for NFYI to bring 50-100 delegates from across the nation together for a powerful, life-changing experience.
If you’d like to sponsor a delegate’s participation or donate care package items, professional clothing, drinks, snacks, or other items, please email Rahniesha.Lewis@NFYI.org
Outcomes from previous Shadow Day Programs include:
- National attention on foster care issues. Watch Congressmember Karen Bass and Delegate Racquell Perry talk about Shadow Day on MSNBC.
- Ongoing connections are made between Members of Congress, staffers and delegates.
- Internship and professional development opportunities have been secured by delegates.
- Legislation has been informed by experiences shared by delegates.
- Delegates develop new leadership skills; each year, a group of previous participants returns to Shadow Day to serve as group leaders and workshop facilitators for a new cohort of delegates

Shadow Day has proven to be a truly enriching experience.
Shadow Day participants are outstanding examples of inner strength, and it is our strong belief that everyone’s worldview would be improved by spending time with foster youth. These individuals exemplify the American values of perseverance and resilience. For members of Congress, having these courageous foster youth joining us as our ‘shadows’ gives us a better perspective and serves as a reminder of the many issues they face.
Reps. Paul Mitchell & Jim Langevin

Ready to take the next step?
