Lisa A., client, Eugenia W., Program Director, Eric B., supporter, Cindy Martinez, El Mundo Television Personality
There are nearly 40,000 foster youth living in Los Angeles County—and this year alone 1,400 young adults will “age out” the foster care system thus becoming disqualified for support services.
At the age of 18, their cases will be terminated and many have to resort to life out on the streets with little life skills and no financial support. They become vulnerable and exposed to committing theft, prostitution, and drug abuse for survival. Forty to fifty percent of foster youth become homeless and 25 percent will be incarcerated within two years. These are the problems that Living Advantage Inc. seeks to address.
Living Advantage Inc. is a nonprofit organization that supports foster youth in transition as they age-out of the foster care system. Their objective is to prepare foster youth with college planning, independent living, job development skills as well as entrepreneurial opportunities. With their innovative technological approach, Living Advantage provides the most important tools needed to become self-sufficient, independent, and reach a higher rate of educational success.
Through their partnership with the University of Southern California and Foshay Learning Center, Living Advantage Inc. provides targeted support to foster youth at the learning center that will prepare them for independent living, higher education, and employment. The Supporting Foster Youth in the Transition to Adulthood (SFYTA) program at Foshay is designed to identify foster youth at the school and assess their needs, refer mentors and tutors to work with foster youth in need of additional academic support, offer life skills workshops to the foster youth and refer resources and services, provide case management services to link foster youth with other community resources, and offer vital life document security to interested foster youth.
Living Advantage Inc. is empowered by community members who support the work they do for foster youth. As a nonprofit organization, supporters play a big role in the organization’s ability to perform daily operations. The organization invites members from the community to come out and help support foster youth.
Living Advantage is promoting its 33/30 campaign which asks supporters to give up a cup of coffee a month and donate the $3.30 to help support foster youth. Reaching their goal of 3,000 participants will allow them to provide services for 300 foster youth in the Los Angeles area.
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