Foster Your Future

"It was like I dropped off the face of the earth for six months." At 14, Cameron was removed from his home and lived in group home for six months, until he was placed with his aunt and uncle. Although, he had an existing relationship with his aunt and uncle, he to a life that had moved on without him and felt like he had returned as a different person. Despite the isolation, setbacks, and challenges of navigating adulthood largely on his own, Cameron persisted. Today, he has earned his bachelor's degree, is pursuing his master's degree in social work, and is already giving back by serving vulnerable populations in our community. Cameron's story is a powerful reminder that educational persistence is rarely a straight line—especially for young adults with foster care experience. Success often depends not only on financial support, but on relationships, mentorship, and having people who continue to believe in you when the journey gets hard. We're honored that Cameron allowed us to share part of his story in this month's newsletter. Read the full story in our July newsletter. Link in comments👇 Visit our fosteryourfuture.org to learn more about our programs, our community and ways to be involved.

What an inspiring night at Hustle PHX's youth entrepreneurship pitch event! FYF was proud to cheer on Adia Johnson, one of the incredible young adults in our Building Your Future program, as she presented her business and shared her story alongside other talented young entrepreneurs. “Statistically, I shouldn’t be up here,” Adia said. But there she was! She shared her vision, her artwork, and her goals for the future confidently in front of a room full of people. Adia grew up in a group home and is now a junior at Arizona State University studying art. This winter, she will travel to Florence, Italy for a study abroad program she has been working hard to help fund through her art and entrepreneurial efforts. We are so proud of the determination, talent, and heart she brings to everything she does. A huge thank you to HustlePHX for believing in young people and creating spaces where they can build confidence, develop business skills, and pursue their dreams. If you are looking to support a talented emerging artist, please visit her website www.adiajohnson.com where you can purchase a single item or join her monthly subscription to help her ensure she has steady income during her time in Italy. #FosterYourFuture #HustlePHX #YouthEntrepreneurship #SupportYoungArtists #FosterYouth #CommunityMatters

What an honor to be 1 of 11 Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust Small Partner Organizations in the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area! Last week we participated in a listening session with staff of the Trust and other partner organizations to discuss our collective capacity building needs. Although narrowing it down can be tricky, my priority votes for FYF in 2026 are: 🧭 Board Development: As our founder transition progresses, evolving our board to ensure that they are empowered, informed and well-trained is more important than ever.  📊 Impact Measurement: Past participant voices are clear that FYF has changed lives! We are working hard to improve data collection and analysis to quantify those stories of increased independence and self-sufficiency. 💰 Fundraising: Like other nonprofits, FYF is working to grow the types of fundraising that we do and diversify our donor base. Help us reach the right people in your network who enjoy volunteering or partnership and have a passion for nonprofit leadership, fundraising and impact measurement.  Connect here or visit www.fosteryourfuture.org to see our open volunteer positions. Thank you again to Nina Mason Pullium Charitable Trust and all funders that continue to invest in small organizations is the challenging fundraising environment.

A huge thank you to Valley of the Sun United Way for including Foster Your Future in your 2026 Grassroots Gift In Kind Fair.  I snagged a bunch of notebooks, binders and other school supplies to share with young adults in our Building Your Future program who are working toward a post-secondary degree. 👉 Why does this matter? According to the Annie E Casey Foundation, only 8% - 12% of young people with a history in foster care obtain a post-secondary degree by their mid-20s, far below the 49% of the general population. FYF works to chip away at this statistic, providing financial support, mentorship and other supports – such as school supplies – to help young people with a foster care background overcome barriers to staying in school and finish their post-secondary education. Learn more about what we do and how to get involved at https://lnkd.in/gSN8qkkg.