I know when each of us drives by yet another pop-up homeless encampment, we think, what on Earth can I do to stop this? How can we let our citizens sleep in the streets, and watch these encampments grow exponentially each year?
Every year, tens of thousands of foster care youth age out of the foster care system on their 18th birthday. So at 18 years old, they must learn to feed, clothe, house and educate themselves – all without a support system. I personally cannot imagine how difficult this would be. These kids are the single largest statistic of new homelessness in America. The Sheehan Adopt a Family aims to help these kids become self-reliant so that they do not ever become homeless or require government assistance.
SAF has been partnering with Stepping Forward Los Angeles (SFLA) https://www.steppingforwardla.org since 2018 to help. SFLA helps youth who have aged out of Foster Care at 18 years old through a paid 6-month Internship which includes housing, a “Life 101” course to teach and assist young adults with personal care, budgeting, technology, career planning, housing, credit, etc. Last year, SAF underwrote 11 of the 50 Internships for 2020!
For 2021, our goal is to raise $50,000 to underwrite as many 6-month Paid Internships that now includes housing, and to purchase 50 new and used laptops to facilitate the program. As always, SAF will also be donating thousands of toys to kids under 8 years old, and helping to feed hundreds of local families.
Please safely donate here: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/2saaff or call us at 310 435 9808 to arrange a pick up of technology and/or gift cards. Checks can also be sent to us at SAF Project: 1590 Rosecrans Ave, Suite D 360 Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. Please let me know if your Employer, Family Office, Country Club, School, Library or Religious org might have older laptops they too may wish to donate (all tax deductible). We can pick them up, wipe them professionally, and repurpose them.
Did you know that 45 million tons of computers and other electronic goods are thrown away every year? This e-waste is ending up in landfills, when an enormous amount of it could and should be recycled and redistributed to those in need. The Sheehan Adopt A Family Project believes that education is the greatest equalizer, and that access to technology to learn and grow is one of the most critical steps to help move the Country’s most vulnerable forward, and off the streets.
