Fostering Youth Independence Welcomes Community to Open House
Next Volunteer Ally Training to be Held May 5th
SANTA CLARITA (April 30, 2026) – Local nonprofit Fostering Youth Independence welcomed over 70 community members to its first Open House on Saturday, April 25. Attendees learned how FYI supports local foster youth who are aging out of the foster care system, equipping them to become successful, independent adults.
FYI board members, volunteers, staff, and youth were on hand to greet guests and share information about the organization’s programs and services. Attendees were invited to get involved as Allies, tutors, or holiday wish list sponsors.
FYI Executive Director Carolyn Olsen, Board Chairman/Ally Steve Snow, and FYI alumna Maya Hofmann spoke about their experiences with FYI and highlighted the meaningful impact an Ally can have in the life of a foster youth. “My Ally Stacy is a bright, bubbly woman who always reminds me she is there when I need her. You don’t need to offer anything profound to be an Ally; all you need is consistency.”
During the event, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo presented the FYI staff with a certificate of recognition honoring their dedication to supporting foster youth in their education and championing their future success.
Allies are caring adult volunteers who have a unique opportunity to directly impact the lives of Santa Clarita’s transition-age foster youth (age 16-25) by encouraging and cheering them on as they work to obtain a college degree or trade certificate, an important key to breaking the cycle of challenges that foster youth face.
Allies support their youth in a variety of ways, including regular check-ins via calls or texts, meeting for coffee or meals, helping them with errands, taking them on outings, and serving as a trusted source of guidance for their questions or issues.
The next Ally training session will be held May 5 at Christ Lutheran Church at 6 pm. Those interested in attending can email Darlene Allen at dallen@fyifosteryouth.org. Christ Lutheran Church is located at 25816 Tournament Road in Valencia.
Further information about Fostering Youth Independence and how to support this organization can be found on www.fyifosteryouth.org.
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About Fostering Youth Independence (FYI)
FYI is the largest Santa Clarita-based nonprofit supporting local foster youth who have aged out of the L.A. County foster care system without being adopted or reunified with their birth parents. FYI addresses the serious challenges faced by these youth, which include not finishing high school or pursuing higher education, homelessness, and incarceration. FYI offers local foster youth numerous resources to help overcome past traumas, complete an education, gain employment, and become successful, independent adults.
FYI currently serves 85 transition age (16-25 years) foster youth in the Santa Clarita Valley and has supported 220 local youth since its inception in 2017. It assigns each youth a caring adult volunteer Ally and a coordinator to help them set and achieve goals in areas such as education, employment, housing, finances, health, transportation, assistance with college applications, enrollment and class registration, and referrals to resources for food, housing, health, mental health, and employment. It also provides emergency financial assistance when an unexpected expense such as a car repair threatens to derail a youth’s educational plans. FYI offers The Study Place for learning support and tutoring, a Ready, Set Drive! program to assist youth in obtaining their drivers license, personalized Money Matters financial literacy education, hosts events throughout the year where the youth can connect with other youth and Allies to create a community of support, and partners with College of the Canyons for referrals and counseling. It also provides school supplies, holiday gifts and household items for youth moving into new homes with few possessions.
FYI is recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. FYI’s federal tax ID number is 82-1034101.
Website: www.fyifosteryouth.org
Instagram: @fyifosteryouth
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fyifosteryouth
Contact:
Carolyn Olsen
Co-founder and Executive Director
colsen@fyifosteryouth.org
(661) 360-1500 ext. 700