This event is intended to acknowledge and celebrate current and former foster youth in LA County who have earned an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, or have completed a certificate program during the 2025-26 academic year.
In addition to celebrating their success, we will be offering a buffet luncheon and ceremony where graduates will receive an award and a special gift in recognition of their incredible accomplishments.
Please register by May 15, 2026.
Join JBAY, the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), and the State Treasurer’s Office (STO) for a statewide webinar on the recent expansion of the CalKIDS Scholarship for foster youth. Learn how this time-limited opportunity provides up to $1,500 for eligible students in grades 1–12, how to identify eligible youth using WebGrants reports, and how to support students in claiming their accounts. Participants will leave with practical tools and strategies to support outreach and help foster youth take an early step toward college and career success.
Please join John Burton Advocates for Youth for a web seminar and release of a new toolkit for county child welfare agencies, probation departments, and their partners, providing strategies for increasing the number of current and former foster youth who receive the California Foster Youth Tax Credit (FYTC). In 2026, the FYTC will provide up to $1,189 to young adults ages 18-25 who file their state taxes, were in foster care on or after age 13, and earned at least $1 in the tax year.
The toolkit will assist counties with implementing SB 624, which requires county child welfare and probation to mail annual information to all nonminor dependents on the FYTC and accessing free tax filing assistance. While the first mailing is not required until November 2026, JBAY is helping early adopters get their mailers out now, as well as advising on a series of other strategies to reach youth and connect them with free filing assistance.
Calling all current and former foster youth and the champions who support them! Join us for an inspiring introduction to the John Burton Fellowship, the first formal fellowship designed to place individuals with lived experience in foster care within the California Legislature and Executive Branch.
Developed in partnership between John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) and the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State, this groundbreaking initiative expands the state’s prestigious Capital Fellows Programs, long recognized as one of the nation’s most respected public policy fellowships.
During this engaging panel, current and former Capital Fellows will share their personal journeys and insights from working at the highest levels of state government—drafting legislation, supporting executive agencies, and advancing equity across California. You’ll hear how this new fellowship opens doors for foster youth to bring their lived experience and leadership directly into the spaces where decisions are made.
Whether you’re a foster youth exploring your next step in education or public service, or a caring adult who supports them—such as campus staff, mentors, or nonprofit partners —this session will equip you with the information and inspiration to take action.
Attendees will learn about the application process, eligibility requirements, and how to prepare a strong submission for the 2025–2026 fellowship cycle (applications close December 8, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PST). Don’t miss this chance to be part of history and help build a future where foster youth lead from the Capitol itself.
Join John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY) for this “how-to” webinar to assist adult supporters working with foster youth and unaccompanied homeless youth to successfully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). The webinar will review the FAFSA and CADAA, page by page, including detailed instructions on how eligible students can qualify as independent students for the purposes of maximizing financial aid. Presenters will also provide information on key steps to take after the FAFSA or CADAA is completed, such as creating a WebGrants account and claiming a CalKIDS Scholarship. In addition, the webinar will provide important updates on relevant state and federal policies.
