OUR MISSION & VISION

Pivotal supports young people in and from foster care to realize their educational and career goals and ensure their equitable access to opportunity.

We envision a community in which every young person gets the education, career, and life they want for themselves.

OUR CORE VALUES

COLLABORATION | IMPACT | INTEGRITY | COMMITMENT | COMPASSION

COLLABORATION

Communication | Connection | Inclusion
Youth-Led | Community-Centric

We foster a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment where every person is seen, heard, and valued. We create cohesive teams through transparent, timely, and intentional communication and perform due diligence to ensure that we remain effective and consistent. We build strong relationships with other organizations to effectively support foster youth.

IMPACT

Adaptable | Expert | Effective | Data-Driven

We are committed to making a meaningful difference in the lives of foster youth. We are experts in our fields and continually strive to learn and grow. We adapt, evolve, and support one another in our growth—because our work and world are always changing. We analyze our work and effectiveness and use data to make informed decisions about how we continue to support our community.

INTEGRITY

Trust | Organization | Accountability
Reliable | Consistent

We act in alignment with our mission and values, make ethical decisions, and follow through on commitments. We own our work and support each other in shared goals. We show up for our scholars and our colleagues and have an unwavering commitment to our mission and values.

COMMITMENT

Enthusiasm | Tenacity
Mission-Driven | Youth-Focused

We exist to serve foster youth—and everything we do reflects that purpose. We approach our work with energy, enthusiasm, and a commitment to creating lasting impact for the scholars we serve. Our passion motivates us in how we engage with each other, our scholars, and our community. It brings positivity, purpose, and heart to everything we do and keeps us connected to why we do this work.

COMPASSION

Caring | Empathetic | Accepting | Respectful
Unconditional Positive Regard

We lead with compassion, treating every individual with empathy, respect, and dignity. We value people over processes, relationships over transactions, and believe that fostering a culture of kindness and support strengthens our impact. Whether working with colleagues, scholars, or partners, we approach each interaction with genuine concern and a commitment to do what’s right for others.

WE HELP FOSTER YOUTH ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS

Approximately 365,000 kids are in foster care in the United States. Their education and employment outcomes are among the worst in the country. Pivotal is changing that through direct services that focus on high school and college-aged foster youth. For over 35 years, we have focused on creating better life outcomes for foster youth in Silicon Valley. We've helped hundreds of youth graduate from high school and go on to college. Our expert coaches work with youth one-on-one to reach their academic and employment goals sticking by them throughout high school, college, and into their careers. By making a long-term commitment to their success, we help them build the life they want for themselves.

Learn more about our history

THE PROBLEM WE FACE

Approximately 60,000 young people are in California's foster care system. Roughly 2,000 of them are right here in Silicon Valley, the epicenter of innovation. While we spend millions of dollars on the next technological breakthrough, little is being done to address the education and employment needs of our community's most vulnerable kids. These young people entered the foster care system through no fault of their own. With nobody watching out for them, it's easy for them to fall through the cracks. Compared to other youth in America, foster youth face the highest rates of school dropout, unemployment, and homelessness.

Learn more about the obstacles they are facing.

We invest in their education and employment in the most critical years.