PIVOTAL

Thank you so much to our supporters who attended our 2025 Dream Makers appreciation luncheon! This event gives us a chance to connect with Pivotal's most generous supporters and celebrate our #fosteryouth scholars and their accomplishments.

We are thrilled to welcome Tamesa Rogers, an accomplished human resources leader with 25 years in the tech industry, to Pivotal’s Board of Directors! Now, she’s bringing her expertise in talent development, organizational leadership, and shaping company culture to Pivotal, helping us expand opportunities for young people in foster care as they pursue education and career success. With her passion for mentorship, career development, and breaking down barriers to opportunity, Tamesa will play a role in guiding our efforts to connect foster youth with the skills, resources, and networks they need to thrive. Please join us in welcoming Tamesa to the Pivotal family and read more about her below! ?? https://hubs.la/Q037slLW0

Less than 5% of former foster youth earn a bachelor’s degree, compared to more than 30% of their non foster youth peers. For many young people who have experienced foster care, higher education can feel out of reach—but it doesn’t have to be. With the right support systems, resources, and community, foster youth can achieve their academic dreams and unlock opportunities they never thought possible. A new article from EdSource highlights how programs across California are stepping up to ensure foster youth don’t just enroll in college, but persist and graduate. From financial aid guidance to dedicated campus support, these services are making a difference. We see firsthand how coaching, scholarships, and career support can change the trajectory of a foster youth’s future. When young people know they have a team behind them, anything is possible!

Always so proud to see our fantastic alumni out in their communities and making their marks on the world! Keep up the amazing work Diana!

We believe in the power of sharing knowledge and lifting others up. We’re so excited to see Pivotal's very own Chief Development Officer, Chelsey Piasentin Souza, CFRE, representing our work by sharing her expertise at Silicon Valley Business Journal's Mentoring Monday event! Chelsey’s dedication to supporting foster youth, nonprofit leadership, data-driven impact, and donor-centric fundraising is an inspiration, and we couldn’t be prouder to have her as part of our team. ?? Join us in cheering Chelsey on as she shares her insights and continues to elevate the conversation around community giving.

?? Exciting Leadership News for Foster Youth Advocacy! ?? Sarah Pauter, a former foster youth and longtime community advocate, has been named the new Executive Director of John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY)! At Pivotal, we know how critical it is to have leaders with lived experience shaping policies and programs that directly impact foster youth. Sarah’s journey is a reminder of the power of resilience, advocacy, and community support. Congratulations to Sarah! We can’t wait to see the incredible work she will do for our community. Read more about her story here:

?? Celebrating 35 Years of Impact and Looking Ahead ?? Last year, we proudly celebrated 35 years of empowering young individuals from foster care. As we reflect on the past year, we're excited to share the strides we've made in creating a brighter future for foster youth. In our 2024 Annual Report, discover how Pivotal is expanding our impact, building meaningful connections, and staying true to our mission of providing education and career opportunities for foster youth to thrive. ?? Your support continues to play a pivotal role in making our work possible, and we can't wait to see what we will achieve together in the year ahead. Thank you for for joining us in this important work! Check out the full report on our website:

As we welcome the new year, we're reflecting on the incredible impact we've made together in 2024. From supporting foster youth through education and career programs to celebrating their milestones, this past year has been full of inspiring stories and transformative achievements. Hear from our CEO, Matt Bell, to see how YOUR support has made a difference and what exciting things we have planned for 2025! Here's to another year of creating opportunities and empowering foster youth to achieve their dreams! ?? ?? Read More: https://lnkd.in/gVNFPzMP #FosterYouthSuccess #PivotalImpact

? Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! ? This past holiday season, you showed up in a big way. Because of your generosity, we reached our $100,000 holiday matching goal! ?? Every dollar donated will now go twice as far, providing scholarships, academic support, and career development to young people in and from #fostercare. A huge round of applause for our long-time supporters, Mary and Mark Stevens, for making this matching challenge possible. The support of this community means the world to us and the foster youth we serve, helping them dream bigger, achieve more, and determine their own paths! #DoubleTheImpact

There’s still time to contribute to Pivotal and help foster youth scholars achieve their academic and professional dreams, paving the way for making their dreams come true! This academic year, we served 532 high school and college students from foster care. We provided over $484,890 in scholarships, helping 157 students pay for college. Over 6,300 hours of individualized coaching were provided to support our scholars, ensuring that each student had resources, individualized goal planning, and ongoing support to help them succeed in high school, college, and beyond. Today, we ask that you help us continue to support these amazing young people as they work to build a brighter future for themselves. Donate today and your impact will be doubled, thanks to a generous offer from Mark & Mary Stevens who will match gifts up to $100,000!? buff.ly/3VmKoZM