By Aime Turberville | Development Coordinator
For older youth in foster care, finding a permanent family means having more than a place to call home. It means having adults who offer consistency, guidance, and support as they navigate adulthood. Since 2005, Kidsave’s Weekend Miracles program in Los Angeles has helped older youth in foster care meet caring adults who may become permanent family members, mentors, or lifelong sources of support. Through monthly events and hosting opportunities, youth can build relationships over time and have a voice and a choice in deciding who becomes part of their lives.
So far in2026, Weekend Miracles Los Angeles has served over100 youth, with 81 active foster youth in our programs. 35 of those 100 youth are now inhosting, mentoring, or adoptive matches! Behind these numbers are young people taking steps toward a future with greater stability and belonging. Each opportunity to spend time with a caring adult allows trust to develop and gives youth the chance to envision a future with people who will continue showing up for them.
Mentorship can also play an important role as young people transition into permanent families. For the past year, Bradley has mentored Julian, providing steady guidance and support as Julian transitioned to his adoptive family. Their relationship has grown beyond mentorship: Julian now affectionately calls him “Uncle Bradley.” Today, the two attend Kidsave panels together, sharing their experiences with new youth and families and helping others understand the value of consistent, caring relationships. Their story demonstrates that the impact of a supportive adult can continue long after a young person finds an adoptive family.
As Kidsave prepares for its upcoming Hike With Your Heart event in Los Angeles, community members will come together for a day centered on connection, encouragement, and the belief that every young person deserves a family. Participants will walk the route together, enjoy time outdoors, and take part in an event that brings families, supporters, and community partners into the Kidsave community. Beyond the hike itself, the event helps raise awareness about the challenges older youth face in foster care, including the risk of leaving the system without permanent family support. It also creates an opportunity for more people to learn how lasting relationships can change a young person’s future and how they can play a role in building a stronger support network around these youth. The community’s involvement helps sustain Kidsave’s work to create opportunities for young people to meet caring adults, develop relationships at their own pace, and find the lasting support they deserve.
Every young person’s path toward permanency looks different. While some relationships lead to adoption or guardianship, others develop enduring bonds with adults who remain a source of encouragement and support. Through Weekend Miracles and the community that surrounds it, Kidsave continues working toward a future where more young people in Los Angeles can find the stability, family, and lifelong support they deserve.
Links:
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.
Support this important cause by creating a personalized fundraising page.
Start a Fundraiser
