Foster Youth Celebrated at YWCA: 10th Anniversary in Santa Monica

The 10th Anniversary of YWCA Santa Monica/Westside’s Housing & Education Program took place at the YWCA Santa Monica/Westside on Friday, May 9. The program helps young women exiting the foster care system build a successful future by providing social support, services and skills training. Residents are provided with the program for up to two-and-a-half years while they attend school full-time, work part-time, save for their future, learn life skills and take responsibility for the upkeep of the house. California State Senator Sheila Kuehl and Sylvia Castillo, District Director for California Assembly Speaker-Elect Karen Bass spoke at the event that was attended by local donors and partners as well as foster care advocates. The program, which houses 8 girls, has a 100% success rate in college graduation and/or professional certification of participants compared to a 2% college graduation rate in the national population of youth emancipated from the foster care system. Many of the current residents and alumni were at the celebration.