When Cody Van Felden turned 18, she became homeless after her foster parents kicked her out of the house because […more…]
May is Foster Care Awareness Month and John Burton Advocates for Youth is delighted to be celebrating it with a […more…]
JBAY is closing in on its first year of the Critical Needs and Opportunity Fund and one thing is clear: it has […more…]
“What am I doing here?” That is the question that foster youth Yuki Huang asked herself when she lived in […more…]
In 2018, a few months after Elizabeth Clews exited the foster care system at 18 years old, she was pregnant […more…]
What if you could invest in an organization that, with an annual budget of $2 million, has produced $3.3 billion […more…]
John Burton Advocates for Youth
www.jbay.org
(415) 348-0011
Executive Director: Amy Lemley
Mission
John Burton Advocates for Youth improves the quality of life for youth in California who have been in foster care or homeless by advocating for better laws, training communities to strengthen local practices and conducting research to inform policy solutions.
Begin to Build a Relationship
We know you care about where your money goes and how it is used. Connect with this organization’s leadership in order to begin to build this important relationship. Your email will be sent directly to this organization’s Director of Development and/or Executive Director.
When I was 17, I’d been sleeping at a park for several months and my social worker came to see me. She told me about a new program called SILP. It sounded too good to be true. I cried when I got it. This option gives young people like me a sense of hope and trust in the system again. It has meant being able to hold my own and still be supported.
Be the Safety Net for Foster and Homeless Youth
Foster youth often lack a safety net of people to call on when they need help, so when unexpected costs occur, they can have life-altering consequences: losing a job, dropping out of school, or homelessness.
“Even though we’re changing state laws and regulations for the long term, we know young people need help today,” says Amy Lemley, JBAY’s executive director.
The Burton Critical Needs and Opportunity Fund is designed to provide that safety net, with funds going directly into the hands of young people when they need it most. JBAY is raising $250,000 this year, and with a $1-for-$1 match, donors can double their impact on helping 1,600 young people with basic necessities like school supplies, transportation, medical bills, and groceries.
Key Supporters
Amazon
Art Carter
Ash Bhatt
Bluebird Legacy
Catherine Cope MacMillan
College Futures Foundation
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Corinne Landphere
Crankstart Foundation
George and Judy Marcus
Help for Children
John and Mary Pat Kagel
Kimiko Burton
Michelle Jourdak
Pinpoint Foundation
Pritzker Foster Care Initiative
Silicon Valley
Community Foundation
Sisters of St. Joseph
Healthcare Foundation
Stuart Foundation
Stupski Foundation
The California
Wellness Foundation
Tipping Point Community
United Way California
Walter S. Johnson Foundation