Young adults who have aged out of the foster care system are less likely to attend college than their peers. But higher education is an important stepping stone to better job security, higher lifetime earnings, and a more stable future.
We believe the cost of textbooks and living essentials should never keep bright students from attending college.
College costs are at an all-time high, and many necessary costs are frequently excluded from traditional financial aid packages. Our scholarships help with many of these expenses, such as books, clothes, and extracurricular activities. These modest financial aid packages are intended to supplement the student’s financial aid.
We also provide graduating college seniors with a “graduation gift” of $500 (bachelor’s degree) or $250 (associate degree). Since many of these students lack any family support, grad gifts are a wonderful way for us to celebrate students’ accomplishments and aid them as they move toward their next stage of life.
Celeste’s Story
When you ask the community about Celeste, intelligence, advocacy, and passion are just a few words that come to mind.
In 2021, Celeste earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from UC Merced. She knew the medical field needed more black and brown faces and chose this path to address systemic inequalities and help reconcile the complicated history between communities of color and the medical field.
Celeste credits the SFFYF Scholarship as a component of her success in obtaining her degree:
“This scholarship helped relieve financial burdens I faced during my time in college. From funding the food I ate, to the school supplies I needed every semester, the scholarship allowed me to focus on school and not have to worry about how I was going to fund the necessary things I needed for my continued education.”
Celeste is also deeply passionate about serving others, especially those impacted by the foster care system. On campus, she worked with Guardian Scholars to provide a support network for youth who have been in the foster care system. Celeste is also a founding member of the Seneca Youth Advisory Board, where she partners with counties to provide youth panels, foster parent training, and state-level advocacy for improvements in the foster care system.
With college in the rearview mirror, Celeste plans to continue working within the community and furthering her education by either attending pharmacy school or pursuing a master’s program in kinesiology or chemistry research.
How We Award Funds
To best serve our scholarship recipients, the SFFYF works directly with social workers in San Francisco’s foster care system. We maintain a straightforward application process to ensure accessing the scholarship funds is not an added stress for young adults who are attending college or trade school.
Help Former Foster Youth Attend College
We rely on generous donors like you to fund our scholarships and grants. When you give to the San Francisco Foster Youth Fund, 95% of your donations go directly to youth in the foster care system. Help us enable the next generation to reach their full potential.
We support scholars who have attended these colleges:
