“My experiences pre-and post-adoption have, without a doubt, led to my career as a social worker today,” says Nick, a Wayfinder family finding social worker. When he was 2 years old, his biological parents left their apartment and never returned, abandoning him and his five older siblings. Nick entered foster care. When he was 3…
Jordan, age 13, and Danielle, age 14, ride the school bus together to Wayfinder’s Special Education School. The school enrolls children ages 5 to 22 who have profound special needs. Jordan is a happy, cheerful teenager with autism spectrum disorder, an intellectual disability, and difficulty speaking. Danielle, who delights school staff and students with her…
Since 2011, Zuber Memon has combined his professional interests with philanthropic causes. “I have always looked for something to do beyond my work in scaling social impact technologies,” says Zuber. In 2022, knowing he was going to spend time in Los Angeles while working for a microfinance company in Santa Monica, San Francisco–based Zuber was…
What are your thoughts about Wayfinder’s 70th anniversary in 2023? I am honored to lead such a strong, innovative organization that has a tremendous impact on children, adults and families. We measure Wayfinder’s success over seven decades by the hundreds of thousands of people who have achieved their personal goals through our programs. And Wayfinder…
A few weeks after becoming certified as foster parents through Wayfinder, Rebeca and Lee received a call about sisters Tatiana and Tessa,* ages 8 and 5. A judge had decided that reunification with their birth parents was no longer an option. The girls needed a permanent home, but they were living with a foster family…
“School today?” 13-year-old Jordan hopefully asked his mother, Jerilynn, every summer day. Jordan was very eager to start eighth grade in Wayfinder’s Special Education School. He loves everything about the school—riding the bus, his teachers, arts and crafts—and especially learning. Staff at our Special Education School were happy to welcome back Jordan and all their…
Brian Barreto has a long history with Wayfinder, dating back to 2008 when it was known as Junior Blind. In his position in external affairs for California American Water, Wayfinder’s water utility, he has been at the forefront of his company’s partnership with Wayfinder. Brian recalls volunteering at Wayfinder’s athletic events, which his company sponsored….
Would you like to help support Wayfinder Family Services without changing your will or parting with any assets now? You can do this by naming Wayfinder Family Services as a beneficiary of certain assets or accounts you own. This “beneficiary designation” is one of the simplest ways to make a gift to us. It is…
Over the years, donors like you have found that a charitable gift annuity can be a great way to support Wayfinder Family Services and receive a lifetime of fixed amount payments in return. Thanks to a recent change in rates, the charitable gift annuity just got better! Wayfinder Family Services can now offer you an…
We stand up in support of equity and social justice, and we stand against injustice and racism. We strive to build an equitable world for our clients and staff. Take the time to put yourself in our shoes. And think about what you wanted as a child … When a child enters the foster care system,…
