2021 Awards Program

Open Table® trains community members to engage in long-term supportive relationships and create access to the social capital that equips youth to thrive as they transition to adulthood. Through Open Table, volunteers are trained to implement a licensed model and learn to provide relational permanency for youth aging out of foster care by forming a “Table” of support for youth in achieving their own “Life Plan.” After a year of regular weekly interactions as an entire team with the young person, the “After Plan” defines the ongoing relationships that continue, based on the shared purpose the youth has developed with each Table member. Open Table has been trained and implemented in 32 states across the country. (Phoenix, AZ)
$40,000 prize

The Ball State University Guardian Scholars is a place of belonging and support for students who have experienced foster care. Their program is a university-sponsored student support service providing program participants with campus coaching/academic mentoring, success seminars, program and community events, and financial support. Within the Guardian Scholars, students are connected to peers who shared similar childhood experiences and a network of professionals trained to support their unique needs on campus. Through this program underrepresented, at-risk students experience equity and access to higher education at Ball State University. (Muncie, IN)
$30,000 prize

The mission of The Monkey & The Elephant (M&E) is to fortify former foster youth with personal and professional skills, employment, and the supportive community needed to lead a sustainable, independent life. They advance their mission through the operation of a nonprofit coffee shop in the Brewerytown neighborhood of Philadelphia, where young adults complete an intensive employment training program combining paid professional development and a part-time job. Together and guided by mentors, program employees earn income, receive intentional coaching, and are provided with a supportive space to learn and grow before they transition to educational or other job opportunities. (Philadelphia, PA)
$30,000 prize

Just in Time for Foster Youth (JIT) engages a caring community to help transition age foster youth achieve self-sufficiency and well-being. They envision a future in which every youth leaving the foster care system has a community of caring adults waiting for them after 18. They believe consistent, long-term help from the heart is the foundation for the success of their youth so that they can thrive and enjoy productive, satisfying lives. Every JIT service has a relationship component designed to greatly improve the outcomes of former foster youth in the areas of stable housing, essential education, meaningful employment, financial literacy, equitable transportation, mental health and well-being. These efforts are supported by a caring community of more than 800 volunteers who make it possible to serve over 1,500 youth in the last year alone. (San Diego, CA)
$50,000 prize

Silver Lining Mentoring empowers youth in foster care to thrive through committed mentoring relationships and the development of essential life skills. Silver Lining Mentoring supports youth ages seven and older who are in or have had experience in foster care. Youth begin their involvement while living in the Greater Boston, Massachusetts area, but due to the transient nature of foster care may move throughout the state during their involvement with the organization. Young people do not age out of Silver Lining Mentoring’s programs; we are committed to providing support for as long as they want to remain involved. (Boston, MA)
$50,000 prize

Walden Family Services’ mission is “to support the lives of children and families through lasting relationships.” Our vision is that every child has a loving home and the ability to realize their greatest potential. We are dedicated to providing stable, supportive homes for children and youth. Walden Family Services is Southern California’s second largest provider of state-supported programs to help foster and former foster youth successfully transition to adulthood and independence. We work with several counties to provide Transitional Housing Placement programs for Non-Minor Dependents (THP-NMD) and for former foster youth aged 18-24 through THP PLUS. (San Diego, CA)
$60,000 prize