The Power of Staying Connected: Pivotal's Alumni Association

On May 17, we came together for our end-of-year celebration honoring Pivotal graduating scholars and the hard work and achievements of all our scholars this year. Hosted at Topgolf, Fore! Foster Youth brought together Pivotal scholars, alumni, coaches, supporters, sponsors, and community members to celebrate the accomplishments of young people in and from foster care this National Foster Care Month. 

More than...

Individualized, trauma-responsive, youth-focused coaching is the heart of Pivotal’s work. Our coaches walk beside scholars through the uncertainty, challenges, growth, and victories that shape their journeys to success. Most critically, coaching is about helping each scholar define what success means for them and building a path to reach it. 

Pivotal coaches recognize that success doesn’t follow...

This National Foster Care Month, we’re celebrating the Pivotal coaches, community partners, donors, and alumni who are pivotal to the scholars we serve. People like post-secondary scholar Anaztajia. Inspired by the people who supported her through some of the hardest times in her life, she now wants to be that person for other foster youth. 

For a long time, Anaztajia was determined to do everything “right.” Graduate high...

At Pivotal, we know that career readiness isn’t just about resumes and interviews; it’s also about networking and access. Many young people from foster care don’t have people in their lives who can help them learn what career options are available to them. They need someone to step forward and say, “You belong here.” 

That’s why corporate partners play such a critical role in Pivotal’s Professional Development & Career...

When Jasmine was just three years old, her life changed in a way that would shape her future. Her parents, facing challenges they couldn’t overcome at the time, made the difficult decision to have Jasmine and her siblings live with their grandparents. “I always dreamed of having that perfect picture family,” Jasmine recalls. “But looking back, I feel blessed. My parents did what they thought was best for us.” 

Growing up in a full house with her...

Foster youth carry a lot on their shoulders. Trauma, instability, and loss coupled with lack of consistent support and frequent school changes often lead to mental health challenges like anxiety, PTSD, and social isolation. It’s also common for young people in and from foster care to cope with their trauma by engaging in high-risk behaviors such as violence, substance use, and delinquencies and to experience higher levels of unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration. 

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Every child deserves to feel loved and protected. Thanks to Pivotal, I finally know what that kind of support feels like, but it wasn’t always that way. I didn’t learn about Pivotal until my early college years, and I often think about how different my journey might have been if I’d known about their services earlier. Growing up, I faced many challenges that made it hard to feel safe, supported, or even hopeful about the future. I was born in Los Angeles, but when I was...