JBAY is Improving Foster Care One Form at a Time
The Transitional Independent Living Plan is the document used across California to prepare youth for their transition out of the foster care system. This all-important form, known as the TILP, is the central case planning tool for older youth in foster care. California State Law requires all county child welfare agencies to complete a TILP […]
With Help from JBAY, A Little Goes a Long Way!
Can $147 make a difference? According to former foster youth Eliza Aguilar, it most certainly can. Eliza is a student at Diablo Valley College in the Bay Area. She recently received a grant of $147 from the Burton Critical Needs and Opportunity Fund. Eliza used the funds to pay for the rising cost of gas […]
Walter S. Johnson Foundation Invests in Reducing Homelessness Among Former Foster Youth
On May 6, 2022, the Walter S. Johnson Foundation (WSJF) awarded an $800,000 three-year grant to John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY), aiming to drastically reduce homelessness among youth aging out of foster care in California. Approximately 60,000 youth in California are in foster care at any given time. With an average annual income of […]
Hot off the Presses: Latest JBAY Report Finds Over 11,000 Homeless Youth Assisted
John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) is committed to reducing homelessness among youth in California. But is it working? According to a new report, the answer is yes! The report found that over 11,000 homeless youth have been assisted by California’s Homeless Housing, Assistance & Prevention (HHAP) program, one that JBAY helped establish. More specifically, […]
JBAY Expands Tax Credit Project for Foster Youth to 8 Counties
The tax deadline for 2022 may have just passed, but JBAY has no plans to stop helping foster youth file their taxes. This year, JBAY has expanded our Tax Credit Project from 1 to 8 counties, helping current and former foster youth file their taxes in Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Madera, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San […]
JBAY Receives International Press Coverage for Work to Help Homeless Students
This month, John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) is delighted to share that our work to assist college students experiencing homelessness and housing security was included in The Guardian, an independent, global news organization. The April 2nd feature-length piece investigated college student homelessness in California, an issue that JBAY is working hard to address. It […]
JBAY Launches Burton Critical Needs and Opportunity Fund
For most of us, young adulthood included a few missteps: forgetting to pay a bill, getting into a fender bender, or paying school fees a few days late. And for most young adults, these missteps are quickly resolved, often with the help of an extended family member to offer financial and emotional support. Sadly, that’s […]
JBAY Youth Advocate is Honored with the Shining Light Award
Imagine being a 15-year-old teen with a one-month-old baby, entering foster care. Sounds hard, right? Well, it was, according to JBAY Youth Advocate Junely Merwin. That hardship didn’t stop her from pursuing her dreams and helping others each step of the way. Junely earned a full-ride scholarship to California State University at Fullerton, where she […]
Third Year is a Charm: JBAY Advocates for Housing Extension
For JBAY Youth Advocate Emmerald Evans, California’s transitional housing program for youth exiting foster care was a godsend. It helped her make a safe transition from foster care and gave her the kind of safety net often provided by an extended family. After two years, Emmerald was close to reaching the program time limit. Fortunately, […]