With financial support from the Lucky Duck Foundation and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, the groundbreaking program will provide foster youth with the resources and opportunities necessary to prevent homelessness
SAN DIEGO, CA – October 24, 2024: As part of Promises2Kids’ commitment to help foster children overcome the difficulties of their past and grow into healthy, successful and independent adults, the organization is launching its ground-breaking Foster Futures Program. With financial support from the Lucky Duck Foundation and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness, this intensive homelessness prevention and diversion program will provide support for at least 50 of San Diego’s highest risk former foster youth.
The Foster Futures Program will include a blend of direct cash support to program participants and programmatic support including intensive case management, financial literacy, career coaching, therapy and mentoring. Both financial and social service components are critical in ensuring the prevention of homelessness during and following the pilot program for 50 participants.
The main focus of the pilot program is to increase housing stability for each participant over a 24-month period. This will be accomplished by an increase in the participant’s ability to earn higher wages, secure career focused jobs, increase their financial literacy, access community resources, and develop a strong support system through mentoring.
National data reports that being in foster care as a child has been found to be a predictor of homelessness. In fact, former foster youth are one of the highest groups at risk, with approximately 30% of them becoming homeless within 24 months of leaving foster care at the age of 21.
“These youth deserve better, and by intervening with critical support, we can prevent them from becoming part of this statistic,” said Tonya Torosian, CEO of Promises2Kids.
“Preventing youth homelessness is a leading priority of the Lucky Duck Foundation. Because half of the chronically homeless adult population first suffered from homelessness as a youth, we see this meaningful strategy to help foster youth attain self-sufficiency and reduce their high risk of homelessness,” said Drew Moser, CEO of the Lucky Duck Foundation.
“RTFH has joined the Lucky Duck Foundation and Promises2Kids in this critical effort to address youth homelessness by ensuring youth have access to services, support, and programs they need to lead successful lives,” RTFH CEO Tamera Kohler said. “This program has been utilized successfully across the country and we are excited to support this strategy as a way to reverse the trend of youth homelessness.”
The total budget for the initial 12 months of the program will be $1 million. Promises2Kids has committed $400,000 to the program and currently has additional financial commitments from The Lucky Duck Foundation and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness for a total of $400,000 and is currently seeking $200,000 from The City of San Diego and the community. The pilot will launch November 4th, 2024, and the public is invited to support this effort by donating at promises2kids.org.
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About Promises2Kids
Promises2Kids is dedicated to our mission of creating a brighter future for foster children® in San Diego County. From the moment they come into foster care and through to adulthood, Promises2Kids provides the hope, support, and opportunities these individuals need to change their lives for the better… now and for years to come. Our programs include Camp Connect, Guardian Scholars, Foster Funds, and the A.B. and Jessie Polinsky Children’s Center. For more information, please visit, www.promises2kids.org.
About the Lucky Duck Foundation
Since 2005, The Lucky Duck Foundation (LDF) has raised funds and awareness for numerous charitable causes throughout San Diego. In 2017, due to the growing homelessness epidemic, LDF pivoted to focus on providing aid and relief for individuals and families suffering from homelessness. Since then, LDF and its co-founders, Pat & Stephanie Kilkenny, have funded, activated, and led several high-impact programs that alleviate the suffering of homelessness throughout San Diego County, including bridge shelters, employment and job training, research, permanent supportive housing, outreach, and more. Originally called the AGIA Foundation (Arrowhead General Insurance Agency), the name was changed to the Lucky Duck Foundation to honor the Kilkenny family’s Irish heritage and as a nod to their love of the University of Oregon. The premise is simple: if you have had some good luck and fortune in your life, share your luck with those less fortunate. And, all donations are matched by Pat & Stephanie, up to $1.5 million per year. For more information, please visit https://www.luckyduckfoundation.org/.
About the Regional Task Force on Homelessness (RTFH)
The Regional Task Force on Homelessness’ mission is to reduce and end homelessness in San Diego, ensuring that if this situation does happen for anyone, it remains a rare, brief and non-recurring instance; not an outcome. As the Continuum of Care lead agency in San Diego County, RTFH administers many of the core federal requirements from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. RTFH also serves as a strategic planning body, funder, regional convener, promoter of best practices, trainer, policy leader, and advisor in San Diego’s collective efforts to end homelessness. Please consider attending our annual conference in December, Mindset, Motivation & Moxie: Rewriting San Diego’s Homelessness Story. For more information, please visit: www.rtfhsd.org
