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7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Foster Skills, Inc. |shape a life. build a future.
invest in the future...
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Structure
Program
Initiatives
Road toSuccess
Foster Skills, Inc. | shape a life. build a future.
About Us MISSION
Foster Skills is a nonprofit dedicated to helping foster
youth achieve life success.
PURPOSE
To enrich the lives of program participants by providing
tangible resources, emotional support, skill-building
education, and advocacy.
VISION
Develop foster youth into independent and productive
citizens that become benefactors to their communities.
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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HISTORY
Marquis Cabrera founded Foster Skills soon after
studying Juvenile Law under Massachusetts Supreme
Court Chief Justice, Roderick Ireland. He witnessedmany heart-wrenching care and protection cases and
developed a passion for social justice. Having had
experienced the grueling effects of the foster care
system firsthand; he started mentoring foster youth, and
figured if he could help one that he could help many
more.
Foster Skills: About Us
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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FOUNDING STORIESThe Star Fish Story
Moccasin
VALUES
Personal Responsibility
Innovation Urgency
Empowerment
Choice
Accountability
Collaboration
Responsiveness Quality
Integrity
Put Kids First (!)
Moccasin Youth
Increase Effort Times Adaptability
Build Loyalty and Community
Implement Fun-derstanding Practices
Model The Future
CULTURE
Foster Skills maintains a fairly young staff inorder to stay current. The company was built
on the notion that successful youth can and
will help foster youth become successful.
Everyday, we believe that foster youth will
only be successful if we do the following:
Foster Skills: About Us
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Foster Skills operates to provide equip foster youth with tools to be successful when they
go out into the world.
WHAT WE DOBondProvide mentors for emotional stability
and development;
EducateTeach foster youth via interactive
workshops practical, and transferable life
skills;
Connect - Bridge connections with likeorganizations, and connect foster youth to
resource and community organizations;
Share - And, create awareness about the issues
facing youth to help develop best practices.
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Why we do what we do?
Shape a life.
Build a future.The Y in what we do
Why not make a difference
Be the change
We believe in foster children
The smallest effort can have the greatest impact
Together we can and will
Foster youth can achieve!
Foster Skills: About Us
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.org
Foster Care: The Challenges
Foster Youth Statistics: The Chronic Underachievement and
Collateral Effects of the Foster Care System
Almost 40 percent of former foster youth have repeated one or more grades
Fifty-two percent of students who were ever in foster care read below grade
level, compared to 38% of the overall population
Only 20 to 30 percent of youth in foster care nationally graduated high school
by age 19
Less than three percent of former foster youth obtained a bachelors degree
One-third of youth lived at or below poverty after leaving foster care, threetimes higher than the national rate
A Department of Social Services survey found that 37 percent of former foster
youth experienced homelessness after age 18
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.orgwww.fosterskills.org
Foster Care: Voices
Foster Youth Speak Out!Theres a perception that . . .
these foster kids . . . if theyre
not with their mother or
father, that means no one
wants them, and no one
wants them for a reason, so I
think theyre almost seen as a
lost cause.
Jelani, former foster youth
Luis believes all children deserve the nurturing that came to
him so late. I think its important that a kid is just getting
what he needsfood, health care, love. You really have to
instill into a kid [that] . . . you have a right to be happy. You
have a right not to be hit. You have a right to nourishment.
You have a right to love. . . . I just think everybody deserves
a family when theyre young.
My sisters and brother had to eat, he said.
So I would go through dumpsters to get them
food, and I stole baby formula for my little
sister. I helped Kristina learn how to walk and
how to be toilet-trained. I changed Emilys
diapers.
I was only six when I went into
foster care. I remember vividly
just sitting outside the courthouse. . . my birth mother crying. And
then suddenly, I was living
somewhere else, in some house I
didnt know. No one told me
anything. For five years, no one
told me anything.
Being taken from my parents didnt bother me. . . . But being torn away from my
brothers and sisters . . . they were my whole life. . . . It was probably the most painful
thing in the world. They told me I would be able to see them a lot, but I was lucky to see
them at all.
John, former foster child
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Provide life plans for kidsthat help to children toself advocate
Teach essential skills thatwill set the foundationfor youth to achieve lifesuccess
Decrease emotionalstress facing foster careyouth by providing
emotional supportsystems and access toformer foster youth
Encourage foster youthto share their voice
ShortTermGoals
Create productivecitizens that thatfunction independentlyand strive to reach theirpotential.
Increase EducationalOpportunities therebyincreasing the number ofFoster Youth that achievein school and decreasingthe number of youththat commit crime
Develop a proven YouthDevelopment Model
Create NationalAwareness to promotebest practices
LongTermGoals
Foster Skills: About Us
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
10/29
About Us
Program
Initiatives
Road toSuccess
Foster Skills, Inc. |shape a life. build a future.
Structure
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT
Foster Skills is unique in the fact that it was started
and is currently being managed by a former foster
youth who once found himself in the same shoes as
the youth they are now striving to help. As formerfoster children who lived many of the same
experiences as the youth who involved with Foster
Skills, they will be able to share knowledge and
understanding that is second to none.
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Below is current structure of the Governing Board. The core functions
are essential to the organizations day-to-day operations. The primary
functions of the board are to provide the tangible resource to helpfoster youths, increase the number of yearly committed donors, and
to provide assess the organizational goals of Foster Skills. to help
foster youth, assess.
Foster Skills: Governing Board
Donors Assessment
DRYVE
Organizations
Resource
Function 1 Function 2 Function 3 Function 4
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Function 1 Function 2 Function 3 Function 4
www.fosterskills.org
Below is current structure of the Advisory Board. The core functions
are essential to the program and internal operations of Foster Skills
Program. The overarching buckets central focus are on programdevelopment opportunities, policy effecting children, and the foster
youths continued success.
Foster Skills: Advisory Council
www.fosterskills.org
National
Awareness
Aging Out Task
Force
Foster Parent
Task Force Alumni Affairs
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Below is the current Executive Team structure of the Foster Skills. The core positions are essential to the internal
operation of the organization. The support position focuses on key on cross-functional activities. The executive
teams holds the ultimate decision-making power or the organization.
Organizational Chart and Officer Duties
Nurture
relationships with
Community
Partners. Ensure we are
keeping our ear
to the ground
with things
involving the
Foster Care
community
Manage, market,
and develop our
brand, find innovate
strategies toadvertise
Use creative
techniques and
strategies that will
add to revenue
streams
Develop and
nurture
relationships with
multinationalcompanies
Secure National/
and Initiative
Sponsors
Create fundraising
initiatives and
develop strategies to
increase companiesrevenue streams.
Implement
strategies that will
grow organization
Manage finances,
accounts, develop
budgets, and ensure
compliance with IRS.
Find ways to use our
accounts to increase
revenue.
Help to manage
National Sponsors
relationships
Develop an interactive
curriculum to increase
youth responsiveness.
Evaluate Curriculum
Establish work plans to
evaluate growth and
performance.
Secure program
participants every year
Manage Parent-Child
Relationships
Responsib
ilities
LegendLegendCross
Functional
Position
Core
Position
Legend
Executive Team
SVP of Corp. RelationsSVP of Program
Operations
VP of Community
InvolvementSVP of Development SVP of AccountingVP Creative
President
Director of Special
InitiativesExecutive Director
Manage Strategic Relationships.
Evaluate processes. Manage Associates.
Implement Curriculum.
Director of Technology
Manage
Information
Systems and
Social Media
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Padovano
Coopchik
Cabrera
Gay
Fichera
www.fosterskills.org
Swerdlowe
FicheraFlaherty
LegendLegend
Legend
Executive Committee
Brand, Creative, &
Tech
Administrative
Budget & Finance
Development
Program & Services
National Sponsors
DRYVE
Community Partners
Cabrera
PadovanoSernicki
Coopchik
Su
Sernicki
Cabrera
Coopchik
FicheraSwerdlowe
Cabrera
Su
Gay
Fichera
Cabrera
Sernicki
Everyone
Executive Team Committees
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.org
Below is the structure for Foster Skillss Associates. The Associates are focused on
developing and mentoring youth, and growing Foster Skills the organization.
Note: It's important to have a bond/ personal relationship with mentees and we
know that it is easier to develop a bond with someone closer in age. Our Associateswill be hardworking, movers and shakers. The roles focus strategically on projects.
President
Project Lead
Associates lead projects on an on-going basis. One VP should be centrally
responsible for each project lead. The President, V ice President of Program
Operations, or ED can fill this role. This project lead role is temporary for the
duration of the project and allows for other Associates to step up and contribute.
Project
Member
Project
Member
Project
Member
Associates will be apart of projects and support a Project Leads.
The leadership should be actively helping the Project Lead to
recruit members for the Project. Associates will rotate project
leads.
Manage & Create
Relationships with
Program Participants
Fostering
Professional
Development and
Skill Building
Perform Program
Model Duties &
Building the foster
youth
Create ongoing
journal
Connect with
Community
Res
ponsibilities
of
Associates
Organizational Structure Associates
LegendLegend
Support
Position
Core
Position
Legend
Associates
Executive Director
Vice President of Program
Operations
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Structure
About Us
Initiatives
Road toSuccess
Foster Skills, Inc. | shape a life. build a future.
Program Community
Life Preparation
Modeling
Self-Management
The below hierarchy allows for skill building. All skills provided within said
curriculum are for constant and continued learning. It s significant to build a
solid foundation, thereby building the child into a productive citizen.
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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The target population of the organization will be foster
youth in High School. Foster Skills program participants
will mentor middle school participants
Advanced
Degrees
Graduate
College
High School
Middle School
Elementary
Pre-School
Educational
Pipeline
CXO job
opportunities
and training
Management
opportunities
and training
Connect to
internships and
job opportunities
Exposure to
different
professions and
Career
Paths/Planning
Professional
development &
exposure todifferent
professions
Continue
professional
development
Foster
professional skills
and
independence
ProfessionalPipeline
Foster Skills, Inc: Target Population
Foster Skills Primary Focus Areas (PFAs)
www.fosterskills.org
Who do we work with?
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.org
Foster Skills Program Model
PROGRAM GOAL
Develop foster youth into productive citizens. Foster Skills will reach to high school age youth
who are currently in foster care. Foster Skills will offer these youth an opportunity to develop
important life skills that will expand their opportunities and give them the tools necessary toreach their goals. The program will offer a wide variety of both social and professional skills
that will help these youth to prosper in all aspects of their lives.
In addition to offering youth in foster care the opportunity to learn and develop important
life skills. Foster Skills will also connect these youth to the resources and opportunities
available to them through other agencies and programs. Many youth in Foster Care are not
aware of the resources available to them. Foster Skills will act as a bridge for these youth tohelp them reach their fullest potential.
PROGRAM DESIGN
Host a creative, interactive weekly skill-building workshop for foster youth involved in the
program. Each monthly workshop will focus on separate skills or set of skills, and each
month will build off of skills learned during previous months.
During the workshop, trained student ambassadors will work with the youth to develop
the monthly skill through individual and group activities. The workshop will divide youth
into groups based on age, stage of development, and level of need. Each group will use
appropriate teaching tools and activities to give the youth a solid understanding of the
skill and an opportunity to put the skill into practice through individual or group activities.
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Program Development
Provide mentors to Foster
Youth during their transition
from Middle School to High
School
Establish focus for youth
Grow the individual
Listen to Youth
Self-Awareness
Open and promote critical
thinking
Create role models
Goal Plan
Develop creativity
Build Leaders
Fundraise/ Advocate
Introduce Students to Life
Mentors
Develop life skills
Create Direction
Assess current structure and
strategic direction
Update Curriculum
Prepare for life after High
School
Acquire InternshipExperience
Hire foster kids for
development
Have youth help make a
difference by drafting by policy
Develop social awareness
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
These are the core progressive youth development stages designed to
grow youth into productive citizens. Future phase activities are
dependant on Foster Youths responses to program model.
Create a solid
foundation and process
Rejuvenated self-worth
and confident individual
Create a solidfoundation and processes
PrimaryFocus
Benefits
Establish lndependence
Connect youth to
opportunities
Ensure life success
Instill holistic methods
Provide real world
experience
Prepare for life after
High School
Develop tough exterior
and reinforce resiliency
Establish know how in a
variety of areas
Educate about FosterCare
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Who do we work with?
The target population of the organization will be fosteryouth in High School. Foster Skills program participants
will mentor middle school participants.
Exposure: social structures and world culture
Opportunities: education, entrepreneur ship
apprenticeships and internships, and public
advocacy
Community Activism: empower youth to change
their communities and ameliorate other lives
Foster Skills Primary Focus Areas
Foster Skills operates to provide equip foster youth with tools to be successful when they
go out into the world.
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Structure
About Us
Program
Road toSuccess
Foster Skills, Inc. | shape a life. build a future.
Initiatives
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.org
MyHome
MyHome is a web
portal that holds amultitude ofresources for allFoster Youth.
One of the maincomponents is aMessage Board
for youth tocommunicate.
I=US
Our FosterUpinitiative willallow for us to
connect fosteryouth with otherfoster youth.
The notion drivingthis idea is team-up. Have Foster
Youth team-up, orin this instanceteen-up to helpeach otherovercome andbeat the odds.
I=US (cont..)
MyVoice fallsdirectly under theI=US initiative;and allows fosteryouth to sharetheir story to thepublic, if theywant.
This is a powerfultool that willallow us to createnationalawareness.
FS Documentary
An outlet forawareness
DRYVE
Secure tangiblematerials forchildren that arenecessary for life
success.
Organizations:
Cradles forCrayons
Dress forSuccess
No Kid Hungry
Barnes andNoble/ Gutman
Foster Skills Initiatives
TEEN-UP MyVoice DRYVE
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Structure
About Us
Initiatives
Program
Foster Skills, Inc. | shape a life. build a future.
Road toSuccess
Below is the Foster Skills recipe for program success.
Believe A DifferenceCan Be Made
Put Kids First
Moccasin The Children
Heal
Think Big
Push Limits
Set-Bar High
DevelopSelf-Advocates
Organization
Best Practices
Build
Fundraise
Partner-Up
Create NationalAwareness
Evolve Organization
Share
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.org
Foster Skills Theory of Change
Connect foster youth
and organizations
Enhance Capacity
Create Conditions
Identify Opportunities
Bring Knowledge
Promote learning
Build Relationships
Leverage resources
Reduce Barriers
Foster Public Will
Identify and strengthen
local energy
Broad
Alliances
Data &
Learning
Transforming
Systems
Capacity to
Sustain
Systems
Transformation
Organizational
Transformation
PowerfulStrategies
Impact,
Influence,
Leverage
Individual
Transformation
SCALE
Economic
Connections
Social
Connections
Service
Connections
Results
For Foster Youth
&
Neighborhoods
Leadership
Building
Social Supports
and Quality
Services
Successful
Foster
Youth
The TeamLocal
Movement
Visions For
Results
Family
Engagement
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.org
Foster Skills Theory of Success
Theory of
Problem
Theory of
Change
Theory ofAction
Vision & Mission
What are the problems
were trying to solve?
Foster Youth are under
achieving because they
are put in circumstances
that are beyond their
control. The emotional
stressors, coupled with
the unstable
environments has led to
an army of children that
are not equipped with
the necessary tools to be
productive citizens.What are the unique strategies
and activities we can employ
to maximize scale of impact?
Our program model is
innovative and based on
empirical research. In addition,
we will focus our efforts on
national marketing campaigns
while employing business
strategies to increase our
effectiveness.
What are the levers we can
use to cause positive
change?
The levers we can draw on
are: experience in the foster
care system, work and
volunteer experience,
community, families, data,
and relationships.
Theory of Success is a model for evaluating success. Our mission will never
change, however our vision may. To create an everlasting impact we must
always ask appropriate questions.
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.org
The grid below depicts the strategic focus areas of the organization and
shows the key areas of responsibility. The Together We Foster Skills
campaign holds a National Focus, and Foster Skills HQ holds a Regional
Focus in the Massachusetts and future satellite sites.
Organization Management
The questions are to
help management
gauge how active or
inactive they are in
the strategic focus
areas to identifygaps and address
needs
National
Focus
Regional
Focus
Legend
Strategic
Champions and
Donors
Program
Participants/ Alum
(ED, VP ProOps,
Advisory Board)
Community
Target Market
Advocacy & Service
(VP of Advocacy &
Service)
Networking
(VP of Social
Engagement)
Fundraising
How is Foster
Skills image?
Champions
Opinions
How are students
being
professionally
developed?
How is the
community at
large being
professionally
developed?
How are
Champions and
Donors being
socially engaged?
How are students
being socially
engaged?
How is the
community at
large being
socially engaged?
How are Champions
and Donors being
engaged to
advocate and serve?
How are students
being engaged to
advocate and
serve?
How is the
community at
large being
engaged to
advocate and
serve?
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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www.fosterskills.org
Activity Assessment
Gauging interest in the
region
Publicizing Foster Skills in
the region
Communicating Chapter
Initiation processIdentifying Alpha Lead
Stimulating further interest
Finalizing the A-Team
Communicating activity to
broader membership and
gaining support
Building the organization
within the region
Establishing consistent
communications
Completing initiatives in
order to serve themembership
Communicating activity to
broader Donors
Orienting the new board
members
Establishing the regional
vision
Initiation Promoting Pilot Planning
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5
Sites Phases have been established to depict the evolution of the
organization in order to assure consistency, strength, and growth.
Communication is sent
to region
Individual expresses
interest in initiating
Sponsor from the
National Board identifiedConference call takes
place with board
Board designates Alpha
Lead
Primary
Focus
Mile
stones
Alpha Lead submits A-
Team list and reviews with
National Board
National Board recognizes
A-Team (Regional Board)
List of general body
membership created
Regular communications
A Networking, Professional
Development & Community
Initiative have beencompleted
X number of general
members recruited
Team Training & Vision
Workshop Complete (Pt. 1)
Initial project grid created
Second event held
Team Training & Vision
Workshop Complete (Pt. 2)Initial project grid finalized
Calendar of board meetings
and initiative timelines
created
Obtain a board member
sponsor to guide chapter
formation
Lead provides National
Board updates Bi-Monthly
via email
Guidelines National Board members
give periodic feedback
Regional activity now run
by A-Team
Sponsor is no longer part
of A-Team
Regular meetings are heldSponsor will lead workshop
Regional plans
communicated to National
Board
Launch
Establishing a local network
of Champions
Collecting contact
information of individuals
interested in being
membersIdentifying potential board
members
Kick-off networking
event completed
Initial list of individuals
interested in A-Team
positions created
Alpha Lead and sponsor
are the first official region
board members (A-Team)
Sponsor assists the Lead
where needed and
together they operate asa team
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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Empirical Data
States we recruit to the cause
# of applicants interested
# of volunteers
Yearly Program Evaluations:Elise Dallimore
Yearly OrganizationAssessments: Jessica Kong
Student Success: BrendaBerkelaar - Numbers showing:For example, numbers showthat kids in foster care are not
committing crime at a highrate and their literacy ratesare going up.
Resources secured. DressClothes. Books.
Anecdotes
A kid stating that we impactedtheir life (anecdotal).
Parents talks about our impact
Talks about changes in child
Associates Anecdotes Reason why someone
donated.
Press about the positive workwe are doing in thecommunity
Reached Goals
Reached Goals
Empowerment. We show weare very good at something.Whether that be one thing ortwo things. That kids need thisone thing we are going toprovide. So, we can pick a skillthat we will teach kids that noone else has. That's why Ithink finance, advance compskills, and mechanical writing
www.fosterskills.org
Foster Skills Measuring Success
Program Success: Foster Skills impact will be felt right off the bat because the organization is a connector
and major resource. The services provided to children in foster care are tailored to benefit the child and
community
7/29/2019 Foster Skills Strategic Plan
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FY 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Evolution of the Organization
OrganizationActivity
KeyEvents
www.fosterskills.org
In the future this will reflect our impact.
Milestones
Reached
Building Curriculum
Developing Internal
Controls
Meeting with community
leaders
Attending communityevents to bring attention to
Foster Skills
Becoming an officially
recognized 501(C)3
Bridging Connection with
DCF to work with children Launching Website
Harvard Law School Town
Hall on Foster Care
YARN Program EOP & The
Home
Meeting with Mayor
Meninos Staff
Bring on Board od
Directors
Develop partnerships with
community organizations
Attending community
events to bring attention toFoster Skills
Develop Policy Initiative
w/ Greg Goodales Class
Organization rebrand
Worked with 450 Kids
Launched MyHome
Treehouse/Foster Care
Event
Taskforce Event
Congressional Caucus
Following Party
Together We Rise-Foster
General Catalyst Event
Dell Social Innovation
Challenge
Congressional Caucus
Following Party
Develop 3 policy
initiatives: 1 judge, 1 family;
educational stability act
Foster Care Awareness
Rally
Pivot on program, and
develop 8-week workforce
development program
Advise on housing policy
Bring on social media
person to focus on brand
Learn about impact
investment models and
potentially figure out how to
develop a for-profit IGA
(income-generating-
activity).