The Guardian Scholars Program is extremely grateful to our community partners. Below are some of the organizations who have been instrumental in helping foster youth at Cal State LA flourish and thrive.
For over a decade, the Anthony & Jeanne Pritzker Family Foundation has been investing in strengthening many of the unique institutions that define Los Angeles. The Foundation aims to enrich our community not just for the present, but for generations to come, with a particular focus on health, higher education, the environment, and the arts. In 2014, The Foundation launched Pritzker Foster Care Initiative to highlight its commitment to supporting transition-age foster youth and the families that care for them.
California College Pathways is a statewide partnership that provides resources and leadership to campuses and community organizations to help foster youth succeed at community colleges and four-year universities.
The DCFS Independent Living Program (ILP) provides financial assistance and services to current and former foster/probation youth, 16-20 years of age, who have been determined to be ILP eligible by an ILP Transition Coordinator. You may receive the help you need as a student in high school, college, or a vocational program. You may also qualify for services if you are working or in need of support services or referrals. ILP may be able to assist you in areas such as housing, employment and education.
Foster Nation engages the community to support and empower foster youth aging out of the system to become self-sufficient. They provide resources and connections that support and meet the basic needs of foster youth so they can get where they want to go in life. Foster Nation also hosts events that build a relatable, supportive and collaborative community for foster youth to feel seen, heard, valued, and supported.
The John Burton Advocates for Youth is a statewide non-profit organization based in San Francisco, working to improve the quality of life for California’s foster, former foster, and homeless youth. It was founded in 2005 by progressive champion John Burton, a former member of Congress, the California State Assembly and President Pro Tem of the California State Senate. John Burton Advocates for Youth works in three areas: education, housing and health.
Together We Rise is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization comprised of motivated young adults and former foster youth. Our vision is to improve the lives of children in foster care, who often find themselves forgotten and neglected by the public. We collaborate with individuals, companies, and community partners to bring resources to foster youth and use service-learning activities to educate volunteers on issues surrounding the foster care system.