What Makes Us Pivotal

OUR MISSION AND 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.

THE PROBLEM

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 technology 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. When compared to other youth in America, foster youth have the highest rates of school dropout,  unemployment, and teen pregnancy.

THE REALITY DOES NOT MATCH THE MOTIVATION OF FOSTER YOUTH.

93%

WANT TO ATTEND COLLEGE

4%

ACTUALLY EARN A BACHELOR'S

We help foster youth defy the odds.

Pivotal scholars prove that being in foster care doesn't have to equal a lifetime of disappointment. Our foster youth's college graduation rate is 10 times the national rate for foster youth. Many go on to earn advanced degrees.

We help them get there by making a long-term commitment to their success. Our expert coaches work with youth one-on-one to reach their academic and employment goals. We round out their Pivotal experience by offering scholarships, professional development workshops, summer internships, and job placement. We stick by them throughout high school, college and into their careers, and help them get the life they want for themselves.

Learn more about our problem-solving approach

We've been doing this for a while.

For more than 30 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. We have a reputation for being relentless. We won't stop until we've helped every foster youth in Silicon Valley who is ready to create a future they are excited about. 

Learn more about our history

We use every dollar wisely.

Pivotal puts the community’s charitable dollars right into the hands of foster youth. We spend our resources on the things that achieve maximum impact, like 1:1 coaching, college scholarships, internships, professional development and financial literacy workshops. Our efficient use of resources is widely recognized by public and private partners who are eager to invest in us.

Learn more about our services

WE GIVE FOSTER YOUTH THE KEYS TO THEIR SUCCESS.