OUR TIMELINE AND ROADMAP
Between 2017 and 2018, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation launched its "On the Table" initiative, bringing together over 7,000 community members to discuss solutions to the region’s housing crisis. Unity Care’s Youth Advisory Council, made up of current and former foster youth, played a pivotal role by hosting two of these convenings.
In 2019, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation released their “On the Table” report: "Community-Driven Housing Priorities in the San Francisco Bay Area." Unfortunately, all recommendations were put on hold as priorities changed due to the COVID pandemic and social unrest.
In July 2022, Andre Chapman transitioned from his 30-year role as Founder & CEO of Unity Care, one of Northern California’s leading service providers for youth in and transitioning out of foster care. He returned from a sabbatical with an audacious goal: to eradicate homelessness for former foster youth. In October 2022, he partnered with UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy to revisit the recommendations from the On The Table initiative. The research project concluded in May 2023, and led to the birth of Fostering Promise!
In December 2023, Netflix hosted Fostering Promise’s official launch and the release of its first policy paper, based on the UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy research. Over 50 thought leaders and young adults with lived experience convened to co-create an implementation plan to advance Fostering Promise’s four policy priorities.
In April 2024, Fostering Promise published its two-year (2024–2026) Strategic Focus and Implementation Plan, developed from the insights, themes, and recommendations gathered during our December 8th launch and subsequent policy workgroup sessions.
In June 2024, Fostering Promise organized focus groups with current and former foster youth to gather insights and strengthen its initiatives. That same month we released an official agency video titled "An Overview of Our Work and Our Why," highlighting the mission and impact driving our work.
In October 2024, Fostering Promise’s strategic advisors, board members, and work group leaders gathered to develop a comprehensive resource map, essential for achieving our two-year implementation plan and paving the way for the launch of our Bay Area pilot project.