JBAY to Expand Tax Credit Project, Putting Dollars in the Pockets of Foster Youth
In 2021, JBAY piloted an innovative approach to increase the income of foster youth, in partnership with Santa Clara County and the Bill Wilson Center. Together, we helped 45 foster youth file their taxes and collectively receive $135,532. This increased the annual income of foster youth who were parents by 42% and for non-parents by 14%. With this extra income, foster youth were able to remain […]
Implementation Update: 1,646 College Students Receive Housing Assistance
In 2019, JBAY successfully advocated for a $20 million investment to address homelessness among college students in California’s three-tier higher education system: community colleges, California State University campuses and UC campuses. The funding established the College-Focused Rapid Re-Housing Program. The win was significant because it was California’s first-ever investment to address homelessness among college students. […]
JBAY Made the List!
We are thrilled to announce our inclusion in The Giving List Bay Area. The Bay Area is home to thousands of nonprofits. The Giving List team consulted with leaders across philanthropy, financial services and philanthropic advising to determine which organizations should be highlighted – and we are delighted to have made the list. Please read […]
JBAY to Help Foster Youth Secure their First Apartment
Many of us can remember getting our first apartment: looking on-line or for some of us, even the classifieds! We were often helped by our parents, who explained how the process worked and sometimes, even helped us with the security deposit and first month’s rent. JBAY Youth Advocate Junely Merwin didn’t have this kind of […]
From Gamer to Graduate: Youth Advocate Karen Lopez Shows What is Possible
An exciting young leader has joined the JBAY team, Karen Lopez. Karen entered foster care as a teen and attended five high schools. Like many young people in her situation, she didn’t think that college was in her future. Her high school grade point was just 2.0 and she didn’t have anyone providing encouragement or […]
New Faces at JBAY: Meet Linda Ramos, Pat Dodson and Jim Gonzalez
JBAY is growing and we are delighted to introduce the newest members of the JBAY family. Linda Ramos is joining JBAY as an Education Project Manager. With over 24 years of experience, Linda has worked at every level of education: in K to 12, the community colleges, the California State University system and in the […]
JBAY to Help Youth Facing the Year-End Housing Cliff
For most of us, December 31st is a time of celebration: New Year’s Eve! That’s not the case this New Year’s Eve, for 3,500 youth who will reach the end of the eligibility for foster care in California. In April 2020, California authorized youth to remain in foster care past age 21 to protect and […]
Thank you for Making October a Winning Month for Youth
October is here and for John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY), that means the legislative session is wrapping up. We work hard all season, and like baseball, October is the time when it all pays off… or doesn’t! Fortunately, Governor Newsom has made October a winning month for JBAY by signing legislation to expand access […]
JBAY Helps Youth Move From Homelessness to College
Imagine traveling to high school every day from a homeless shelter. Even worse, imagine your family lives in a tent or a car. For over 180,000 children and youth in California, they don’t have to imagine it: they live it. That is the number of homeless public-school students in kindergarten through 12th grade in […]