Child Protection United States Project #60187

Finding Families for Black Youth in Foster Care

by Kidsave International

Project Report | Jul 1, 2026
Creating Lasting Connections Through The EMBRACE Mentorship Program

By Development Team | Kidsave Staff

Every child deserves someone who sees their potential, celebrates who they are, and believes in their future. Through Kidsave's EMBRACE Project, caring adults have the opportunity to become mentors and provide meaningful, consistent support to youth in foster care who are waiting for someone to stand beside them.

EMBRACE was created to help ensure that Black, Latino/a, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ youth have access to supportive adults who understand the importance of identity, belonging, and community. For many young people, having a trusted mentor means having someone who listens without judgment, encourages their goals, and reminds them they are worthy of love and opportunity.

Mentoring doesn't require having all the answers. It starts with showing up. Whether it's sharing a meal, attending a Weekend Miracles event, celebrating achievements, or simply checking in, these small moments build trust and can have a lifelong impact.

Many mentors discover that the relationships they build become some of the most meaningful in their lives. While some continue as lifelong mentors, others choose to take the next step by becoming foster or adoptive parents. Every journey is different, but every connection begins with one caring adult willing to say "yes."

Your support makes it possible for Kidsave to recruit, prepare, and support mentors throughout their journey. Together, we are creating a community where every young person has the opportunity to feel seen, supported, and connected.

If you've ever wondered whether you could make a difference in a young person's life, we invite you to learn more about becoming an EMBRACE mentor. One relationship has the power to change a future—for both the young person and the mentor.

Links:

Permalink

Mar 4, 2026
Affirming Identity Through Care, Confidence, and Connection with EMBRACE

By Development Team | Kidsave Staff

At Kidsave, we believe every child deserves to feel proud of who they are. Through our EMBRACE program, we work to ensure that children and youth in foster care feel safe, supported, and affirmed in their identity — and we are sincerely grateful to the youth and Kyla Jones at Jack and Jill of America, Inc. for helping us advance that mission.

Thanks to their generous donation of 30 Crown Care Kits, youth in our Weekend Miracles programs will receive essential hair and self-care items that support natural and protective styles. These kits are more than products — they are a powerful affirmation of identity, culture, and confidence.

Black children in foster care often face discrimination or lack access to culturally responsive care. Access to appropriate hair and self-care products directly supports dignity and self-expression, aligning with the spirit of the CROWN Act, which works to end race-based hair discrimination and protect the right to wear natural hairstyles.

Through EMBRACE, Kidsave works intentionally to remove barriers that can make it harder for Black, Latino/a, and LGBTQ+ youth in foster care to find mentors, foster families, and adoptive families. Culturally responsive and identity-affirming support is central to helping young people thrive.

In addition to providing tangible resources like the Crown Care Kits, EMBRACE connects youth with caring adult mentors who are committed to supporting and celebrating who they are. Our mentorship component creates consistent, trusted relationships where youth can feel seen, heard, and encouraged. Mentors play a critical role in reinforcing positive identity development, building self-esteem, and helping youth navigate school, career exploration, and life transitions with confidence.

The Crown Care Kits will be distributed to youth in our Weekend Miracles programs in Los Angeles, CA, Houston, Texas, and Virginia — ensuring that children across our communities benefit from this thoughtful and empowering gift.

Together, these kits send a clear message: you are valued exactly as you are, and your identity matters. They equip youth with the tools to present themselves with confidence — whether preparing for school, interviews, or new opportunities — and they reinforce the broader support system EMBRACE provides through mentorship and community.

We are deeply thankful to Jack and Jill of America, Inc. for standing with our youth. Crown Care Kits are a meaningful way to say: we believe in you, we support you, and you are worth investing in.

Because when children feel affirmed in who they are, they are empowered to step into who they can become.

Links:

Permalink

Nov 6, 2025
Changing the Story for Black and Latino/a Youth in Foster Care

By Development Team | Kidsave Staff

Across Los Angeles and throughout the United States, Black and Latino/a children remain overrepresented in foster care—and underrepresented in permanent, culturally affirming homes. While Latino/a children make up 23% of youth waiting to be adopted, they account for only 20% of completed adoptions. The gap is even wider for Black youth, shaped by generations of systemic inequity, racial bias, and fractured support systems that leave many children without the stable, loving families they deserve.

Kidsave is working to change that story.

Through our Weekend Miracles and EMBRACE programs, Kidsave is creating new pathways to permanency by connecting kids with caring adults who not only want to be there for them—but who understand and reflect their cultural identities. Using data as a tool for change, Kidsave is partnering with media outlets, digital influencers, and community leaders who share the lived experiences of the youth we serve.

“Marginalized children need to be prepared for a complex world,” says Shantay Armstrong, Manager of the EMBRACE Project. “Kids need love, stability, and cultural connection—someone who can model safety and show them they matter. Any adult can do that, but culture and identity shouldn’t be afterthoughts.”

At monthly Weekend Miracles events, prospective mentors and adoptive parents meet kids face-to-face, allowing authentic relationships to form naturally. These events are designed to build bridges—giving kids real opportunities to connect with adults who look like them, understand their stories, and can walk alongside them through life.

Research shows that Black children are more than twice as likely to enter the foster care system as their white peers. When placed with families who share their racial, cultural, or LGBTQ+ identity, children are more likely to thrive—building stronger self-esteem, mental health, and long-term stability. A culturally responsive approach helps prepare kids for the world ahead while affirming who they are today.

“When a child sees someone who reflects them—who understands—it affirms that they matter,” Armstrong adds. “Mentoring and adoption are powerful acts of community affirmation.”

How You Can Get Involved

Attend a Weekend Miracles event in Los Angeles
Become a mentor or host a child in foster care
Take culturally responsive training through the EMBRACE program
Join the new Peer Mentor Program, launched in 2025

Each action—whether mentoring, hosting, or advocating—helps rewrite the future for kids who have spent too long waiting.

Links:

Permalink

1 2 3 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.