Our March Foster Care Hero of the Month, Jhamasa Lewis, is a member of the UFC Next Generation Board. She is also an entrepreneur, artist, activist, and the Director of Service Learning at Brentwood School. Jhamasa was dedicated to her educational pursuits growing up and became a first-generation college graduate in 2013. She then spent …
The Imago Music Festival, our first-ever online music festival, brought together a lineup of 50 artists who performed over 10 days, brought awareness to foster care, and raised funds for United Friends of the Children! The funds help provide housing, educational tools, and mental health resources to LA County foster youth. Thank you to all …
Despite facing many obstacles, Julisa, a dedicated, kind, and passionate young woman in our Scholars program, is on her way to fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. Currently, she is at Riverside City College but will be transferring to CSU Fullerton to complete their RN Program. Earlier in her journey, Julisa had to …
This February 2021 we celebrate Demonte “Tray” Thompson and his twin brother, Demontea “Tae” Thompson as our Foster Care Heroes of the Month! We could not be prouder of these two men, who currently work to advance and elevate young people through their nonprofit, Twinspire. Tray is a UFC Board member, and Trae is Twinspire’s …
Salena, a Pathways alumna, is such an inspiration! Her ability to self-reflect, to overcome personal challenges, and her determination to reach her goals speaks of her resilience. When Salena first came to Pathways, she had trouble managing her finances and would often not have enough to purchase basic needs items. Salena was able to find a …
We are so proud to announce Alain J Datcher, a UFC alumnus, as this month’s Foster Care Hero. Alain is the new Executive Director for Los Angeles County’s newly formed Youth Commission where he will help ensure that no policy, program, or delivery of services in LA County is developed or executed without being informed …
With generous support from the LA County Office of Education, UFC has hired a new COVID-19 Support College Counselor to provide intensive support to youth struggling with learning loss, academic performance, and social and emotional wellness. As reported last spring, foster youth in LAUSD had one of the lowest participation rates in remote learning among …
UFC distributed over $40,000 in gifts and gift cards at our annual holiday party for our current and former program participants. We’d like to give a special thank you to DJ Felli Fel who joined the virtual party and raised over $10,000 through his second annual Felli’s Navidad Fundraiser. We’d also like to give a …
When Celestina became a Pathways resident, she had just emancipated from foster care and was struggling with severe anxiety and depression. While in Pathways, she began therapy and her mental health improved. She also started a savings account by working part-time and full-time jobs, all while attending school full time. Celestina was a large part of the Pathways …