OUR BEGINNINGS
Mission
We are committed to advocating for youth-driven policies that ensure every young person who ages out of foster care has a safe place to call home, the hope for a promising future, and the support of a caring mentor.
Vision
We aim to eradicate homelessness among former foster youth by working collaboratively with foster youth, stakeholders, and local and state government officials. Our advocacy initiatives aim to champion policies and programs that empower these emerging adults to transition successfully into adulthood, while also addressing the underlying systemic issues that contribute to their homelessness.
History
Mr. André Chapman, the founder of Unity Care in 1993, had a remarkable vision to enhance the lives of foster youth and families within the foster care system. As CEO, Chapman successfully led Unity Care for three decades, overseeing strategic growth and providing vital services such as education, employment, housing, and mental health support to more than 7,500 clients annually across nine counties in Northern California.
In July 2022, Chapman transitioned from his role as CEO to embark on a new venture aimed at eradicating homelessness among youth who age out of foster care. With nearly 30 years of experience in the field, Chapman's goal is to ensure every young person leaving foster care has a stable home and a promising future. Fostering Promise will pursue this vision through youth-driven advocacy, strategic partnerships, public education, and community engagement.
The groundwork for Fostering Promise was laid in 2018 with the On the Table (OTT) conversations facilitated by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. These discussions involved over 7,000 community members, and Unity Care's Youth Advisory Council, comprising current and former foster youth, played a pivital role in hosting several of these gatherings. Their powerful narratives shared the challenges they faced growing up in the foster care system, including multiple home and school changes, family separation, trauma, and feelings of resentment and loneliness.
Through these conversations thirteen policy and practice recommendations were identified and documented in the publication "Community-Driven Housing Priorities in the San Francisco Bay Area."
In October 2022, Chapman collaborated with UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy and Emma Barash, a Master’s in Public Policy Candidate. Together, they organized convenings with policy agencies, educators, counties, housing developers, researchers, and former foster youth. Barash subsequently completed her thesis, which identified the top four policies with the highest potential for eradicating homelessness among former foster youth.
These policies serve as the foundation for Fostering Promise, and it’s work ahead.