The San Francisco Foster Youth Fund is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises money for the education and enrichment of San Francisco foster children.  The Fund was started over 30 years ago by Human Service Agency social workers who knew that government funding for foster care only paid for the basics of room and board, and that after experiencing the trauma of maltreatment, foster children were missing out on the normal experiences of childhood.  They wanted foster kids to have positive memories of childhood, of going to summer camp with their friends or playing in Little League baseball games.  They believed that these normal experiences were an important part of healing, as essential as any therapy or special program. 

The Foster Youth Fund is run entirely by volunteers.  Every penny raised goes directly to foster children.  The Fund helps them have enrichment opportunities such as taking music lessons, going on class field trips, or participating in high school graduation activities.  In recent years, the State of California has extended foster care to the age of 21, and increasingly the Fund has been helping foster youth with the costs of college. 

Foster children are at extreme risk for many negative outcomes related to education, including dropping out of school, involvement in the criminal justice system, and poor health outcomes such as early pregnancy.  The Fund is intent on broadening the experiences of foster children and enlarging their horizons.  It relies on the Combined Charities campaign for the majority of its funding, and small contributions can make a difference in the life of a foster child:

• For $250, a foster child can attend summer camp;

• For $500, three foster children can participate in a sports program, take music lessons, or attend their high school prom;

• For $1,000, a foster youth can receive a grant cover college expenses for one semester.

  In the Combined Charities catalogue, the San Francisco Foster Youth Fund (L2408) can be found on page 9 in the section called, America’s Best Local Charities.   The Fund’s Board of Directors appreciates the generosity of city staff who support foster children through the Combined Charities and who participate in the Fund’s annual softball tournament.