Our May Hero of the Month is Dr. William Franklin! Currently, the Vice President for Student Affairs at California State University, Dr. Franklin has been instrumental in securing grants to design and implement several student success initiatives for low-income, first-generation students. He has also played a considerable role in helping UFC students face their emotional …
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are excited to highlight Sarah Christian, co-chair of the United Friends of the Children NextGen Board.
Sarah, who is also a partner at Gilbert & Stern LLP, first connected with UFC through volunteering with the Junior League of Los Angeles, a women’s training and volunteer organization where she currently …
Recently our housing program held a “Banking 101” life skills workshop led by the Center for Financial Empowerment, a non-profit with a mission to improve young lives through financial education. Our housing youth learned about the differences between credit unions and traditional banks, how to open a bank account, and the importance of starting to …
Our March Hero of the Month is Carolyn Liu Lumpkin, Chief Impact and Operating Officer at The Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking! Prior to joining CAST, she served as the Vice President of Programs at United Friends of the Children, where she provided strategic, operational, and clinical leadership for UFC’s signature programs. She brought …
We want to take a moment to congratulate one of our scholars, Cathy, a stellar student who has worked very hard to get where she is today! Cathy was experiencing challenges that kept her from reaching her full potential, so with the help and encouragement of her UFC counselor, she transferred to a new high …
Earlier this month, the Junior League’s Civic Leadership Forum celebrated the successes and achievements of current and former female foster youth in Los Angeles. The event encouraged meaningful conversations between foster youth attendees and community leaders during roundtable discussions as well as featured foster youth performances of powerful spoken word poetry. At the event, three …
In honor of Women’s History Month, we are excited to highlight Lauren Fujiu-Berger, co-chair of the United Friends of the Children NextGen Board.
Lauren, who is also the Vice President of Business Affairs at 20th television and a mother, loves learning from UFC’s Scholars and Pathways youth. She is also a former board member of the …
We are so proud of Yadira, one of our housing residents, who graduated in December 2021 from Cal State University of Los Angeles with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health!
But attending college and graduating was not an easy journey for Yadira. After losing her foster dad in 2018, she says her physical and mental health …
In honor of Black History Month, a time to highlight the beauty and richness of black culture, we want to spotlight one of our very own, Floyd Strickland. Floyd not only serves as UFC’s housing Property and Facilities Manager but is also a very skilled and amazing artist. In his work, he draws inspiration from …
“The depths of their pain, the depths of their experience and being without, trying to struggle to have a decent life on their own, nobody should have to live that way. We want to be a part of the solution.” – Bishop Ed Smith.
Our February Hero of the Month is Bishop Ed Smith! In addition …