The year-end fundraising campaign by Fostering Youth Independence raised its highest ever amount since its founding and experienced an unprecedented outpouring of support from the Santa Clarita community. Together with funds from its matching donor team, FYI received $45,453, which will help provide critical support to local foster youth, who do not have their own families to support and guide them.

FYI directly impacts the lives of Santa Clarita’s transition age foster youth ages 16 to 25 by providing support and helping them obtain needed resources as they age out of the foster care system and work to complete a post-secondary education to prepare to become successful, independent adults.

“An important aspect of our program is the pairing of each youth with an adult Ally who offers encouragement, guidance and friendship as the youths reach this new, critical point in their lives,” said Olsen. “Volunteer Allies have the unique opportunity to provide support and help their youth overcome the cycle of challenges that are endemic to foster youth.”

On Jan. 10, a training session will be offered for anyone interested in learning more about FYI and what being an Ally entails. The training will take place in the Fellowship Hall at Christ Lutheran Church in Valencia, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Those interested can email FYI’s volunteer coordinator Darlene Allen at dallen@fyifosteryouth.org.

“We’re so grateful to everyone who responded to our year-end fundraising campaign and chose to support our work with foster youth,” said Carolyn Olsen, FYI’s co-founder and executive director. “It’s was heart-warming and encouraging to see our entire community provide for and interact with our over 70 foster youth to make sure they had the happiest holidays possible.”
She added that in addition to monetary donations, many individuals and groups stepped up in wonderful ways to support FYI’s year-end holiday party. This included:

– Community sponsors fulfilled wishlists for 76 youth

– Zonta Club of SCV in partnership with ITT Aerospace donated filled stockings and $20 Target gift cards for all FYI youth

– A generous friend of FYI donated the matching pajamas for the holiday party for the 5th consecutive year

– A new friend of FYI donated holiday cards containing $50 cash for each of the 64 youth who attended the holiday party

– Talented sewing friends again made personalized stockings for all FYI youth, and Santa Clarita Christian School donated lots of goodies to fill them

– The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints – Valencia did all of the set-up and clean-up for the holiday party

– Echoes of Hope donated all of the youth meals for the party

– Christ Lutheran Church once again donated use of their amazing Fellowship Center and kitchen for the party

– The Santa Clarita Runners Club collected Target, Walmart and Ralphs gift cards for FYI youth at their Jingle Bell Jog

“We’re so thankful for all of this support, and we hope that more people will make a New Year’s resolution to support FYI by becoming an Ally this year,” said Olsen. “It’s a tangible, rewarding way to make a difference in our community by helping to support these vulnerable youth who don’t have their own caring families so many of us are blessed with.”

Further information about Fostering Youth Independence and how to support this organization can be found on www.fyifosteryouth.org.

About Fostering Youth Independence (FYI)
FYI is a Santa Clarita-based nonprofit organization that supports local foster youth who have aged out of the L.A. County foster care system without being adopted or reunified with their birth parents. FYI addresses the serious challenges faced by these youth, which include not finishing high school or pursuing higher education, homelessness and incarceration. FYI offers current and former foster youth, ages 16-25 years, a caring adult “Ally” to provide the one-on- one guidance and encouragement they need to complete a post-secondary education, as well as resources to help these youth overcome past traumas, complete an education, gain employment and become successful, independent adults. FYI is currently serving 73 foster youth, the majority of whom are attending College of the Canyons.

For more information, visit FYI’s website at www.fyifosteryouth.org. You can also follow FYI on Instagram @fyifosteryoutth and Facebook www.facebook.com/fyifosteryouth.