Research & Publications

2025 Annual Report

In 2025, First Place for Youth served 1,679 young people directly in California and Mississippi and through our network partners in Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Ohio. In California, 566 young adults gained housing, education, and employment coaching, as well as comprehensive case management supports through our flagship My First Place™ program.

New this year: First Place opened the first office outside California in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, expanding the My First Place™ program to serve 30 transition-age foster youth along the Gulf Coast with housing and wraparound support. This milestone was grounded in years of policy advocacy.

Blog

Foster Youth Are Your Solution to America’s Skills Gap 

By Erica Waterford, Vice President of Education & Employment, First Place for Youth  American businesses are facing a critical labor […]

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Blog

Advancing Youth Apprenticeship Pathways 

By Erica Waterford, VP of Education and Employment, First Place for Youth  Over the past year, First Place for Youth has […]

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Blog

When Expertise Travels: How First Place Helped Oklahoma Say Yes to Extended Foster Care 

By Thomas Lee, CEO, First Place for Youth  Earlier this month, Oklahoma Governor, Kevin Stitt, signed Senate Bill 1806 into law — […]

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