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San Diego, Friday, November 5, 2009
UCSD Students and Soroptimist International Launch November “Just in Time for Foster Youth Donation Drive”
UCSD Foster Youth Workgroup organizes collection for emancipated foster youth.
Contact:
Caroline Calabrese
cacoutocala@yahoo.com
858-775-8696 San Diego, Friday, November 5, 2009 -
The Foster Youth Workgroup at the University of California San Diego has partnered with Soroptimist International of La Jolla to collect new household items and cash donations to support the Third Annual “My First Home for the Holidays” campaign. The campaign is conducted each year by Just in Time for Foster Youth, a San Diego non-profit that provides caring support, urgent guidance, and crucial resources for foster youth at the most critical point in their transition to an independent, productive life.
The “Just in Time for Foster Youth Donation Drive” will be held November 9-20, with collection points at a dozen locations across the UCSD campus. Items collected will be everything from pots, pans and small kitchen appliances to desk lamps, laundry baskets and bedding. Donations are also accepted through the UCSD Financial Office by calling 534-3802.
The “My First Home for the Holidays” drive continues with other community collections through until December 12, 2009. “We are incredibly grateful and excited about this effort by UCSD students to help other youth in need,” said Kathryn Vaughn, Board President of Just in Time. “In any given year in San Diego County, nearly 300 youth of the 6000 in foster care, turn 18. The assistance this drive will generate helps our youth overcome the serious setbacks to success that most of us relied upon from our family to help us navigate.”
Unlike most youth, for whom leaving home is a gradual process, foster teens must immediately begin to care for themselves when they turn 18 and "age out" of the foster care system. Without some kind of support, a shocking number of these young adults – as many as 50% under the age of 21 - end up on the street.
Just in Time envisions a community that turns these statistics around--youth by youth. With the help of committed donors and volunteers, Just in Time provides emancipated foster youth the assistance, resources, and personal guidance they desperately need to become functioning, self-sufficient adults.
For more information and collection locations, log onto www.JITFosterYouth.org
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