(Posted 2024 September)
Thank you to FYI, Foster Youth Innovation, a soon-to-be nonprofit with the mission to advocate, educate, and spread awareness for youth in foster care to support them and encourage their success along with educating local communities. To start, they supported eight Fairfax County youth in foster care with holiday gifts last December as part of the Department of Family Services’ Adopt-A-Family Program. It was their first project, and they raised about $500 in two weeks. They hope to gain a strong presence not only in Northern Virginia, but across the east coast.
The founder and president is Harlee Chapman, a high school student! “Since I was very young, I’ve wanted to go into a field that would help foster kids, such as being a child advocacy lawyer or a psychologist. This was mostly because of my experience in foster care for about four years in Florida and growing up as an adoptee since age 4 and a half. I learned from a young age there were many issues in and around the system and I wanted to do something about it,” says Harlee.
During Foster Care Month in May, FYI partnered with a local chapter of DECA, a national business and marketing club, to provide duffle bags with items such as toiletries, crossword puzzles, stress balls, etc. to benefit youth in foster care. The club, located at John Champe High School where Harlee is a student, worked with FYI to organize and promote the donation drive across the school and in the community. Harlee mentioned that FYI has other donation drives in the works as well.
Harlee credits her Marketing teacher and DECA sponsor, Shannon Brown, for being one of her biggest supporters, as well as her friend Kaci Diaz, who is also heavily involved in FYI’s work. Additionally, Harlee’s family, and especially her dad, have been a huge support throughout the process of starting FYI.
Harlee’s ultimate goal is to raise awareness and encourage more people to foster, adopt, and get into jobs related to the foster system. The Fairfax County Department of Family Services is grateful for Harlee’s support and wishes you and FYI continued success!
Sponsoring a family through the Adopt-A-Family Program is a great way to give back to the community during the holiday season. It can be a one-time or annual commitment for you or your organization. It can also be a starting point for getting more involved in making a difference to those in need right in our backyard. Email the program if you are interested in adopting a family this year.
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This article posting is part of the Foster Family News monthly newsletter designed to keep foster parents informed about all the new and notable happenings in Fairfax County.
Learn about what the Foster Care and Adoption program has planned for foster families - stay on top of trends, participate in trainings and learn about policy changes.