What We Do

Resources for Foster Care Youth, Caregivers, and Organizations

iFoster’s mission is to ensure that every child growing up outside of their biological home has the resources and opportunities they need to become successful, independent adults. We provide a free platform of resources for foster care youth, caregivers, and organizations.

We create solutions driving collaboration and efficiencies across the child welfare system, and we engage the community outside of child welfare to support our nation's most vulnerable children. Learn more about the resources for foster care youth available through iFoster.

 
  • Online Foster Care Community

    iFoster is the largest and most inclusive online community of young people, caregivers, and organizations in foster care with over 89,000 members in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Guam.

     
  • Resources for Foster Care Youth, Caregivers & Organizations

    We collaborate with over 4,000 corporations, government agencies, and community organizations. This collaboration allows us to provide resources for foster care youth including educational, employment, health, daily living, products, services, and opportunities they need.

     
  • Committed to Serving Evolving Needs

    Our library of resources for foster care youth, caregivers, and organizations is always growing – improving the lives of foster youth each year by delivering more than $260 million of new resources into the system annually.

     
  • Preparing Youth for Independence

    We launch evidence and trauma-informed programs to prepare youth for independence – all evaluated for replication and adoption by the child welfare system.

     
  • Ensuring Access for Foster Youth

    Our library of resources for foster care youth supports our mission of connecting foster youth to resources and opportunities they need to be successful. We collaborate with more than 4,000 child welfare agencies and partners to help youth get the access they need.

     

Resources for Foster Care Youth to Aid in Self-Sufficiency

My iFoster Resource Portal

Explore resources for foster care youth, how-to knowledge, and skills development that all foster youth need to become successful, independent adults and reach their full potential.

Third party evaluation for Administration for Children and Family Services has shown that using the resources for foster care youth portal decreases family needs, improves child and caregiver well-being, and improves placement stability.

  • 89,000+ members.
  • $260 million in resources consumed by youth in care and their families each year, and former foster youth each year.
  • USC study shows that in combination with iFoster Tech, transition-age youth improve their grades, increase their applications to college and employment, improve life-satisfaction and decrease depression and suicidality.
iFoster Tech

The #1 foster youth need nationwide is access to technology. Less than 20% of foster youth have regular access to a computer and the Internet. The majority of transition-age youth can’t afford a monthly phone bill to stay connected. Learn more about our tech-related resources for foster care youth:

  • Ground-breaking Federal Lifeline pilot program to provide 33,000 CA foster youth with free smartphones with free, unlimited voice, text, and data; replicated program in NYC.
  • Thousands of laptops provided annually to college and college-bound foster youth nationwide.
  • During COVID-19 pandemic, provided over 16,000 CA foster youth students in K-12 and college with a computer and Internet connection.
iFoster Jobs Program

The iFoster Jobs Program is an award-winning training, internship and employment placement program for transition-age foster youth to ensure they can be financially independent when they leave care. We offer evidence and trauma-informed curriculum that covers the hard and soft skills employers want.

  • Over 750 foster youth have earned permanent employment in 4 years.
  • Program participants have double the retention rate of retail and customer service industries.
  • Over 45 national and regional employer partners, including Fortune 500 employers.
  • Evaluated by the Administration for Children and Family Services as a promising practice for foster youth employment.
iFoster Jobs Program: TAY AmeriCorps

The innovative iFoster AmeriCorps service program provides an opportunity for foster youth to train and serve as peer navigators and mentors. The TAY AmeriCorps program serves as a stepping-stone for transition-age foster youth, giving them a chance to build public and health service careers.

  • TAY AmeriCorps members have served over 20,000 TAY in California in the first two years.
  • 100% of foster youth served felt better supported and 88% became more knowledgeable about resources.
  • 88% of Members report learning skills that will help advance their career path.
  • Honored as Best New AmeriCorps program nationwide 2019.

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