Thursday, May 8th, 2025
Oakland Museum of California 1000 Oak St., Oakland, CA 94607
OUR STORY
In 1998, two graduate students were struck by how many young people who grew up in foster care faced intense challenges after aging out of care, including poverty and homelessness.
With a small grant in hand, they were inspired to help break the cycle of poverty for these vulnerable youth and launched First Place for Youth, the first organization in Northern California exclusively dedicated to addressing the lack of affordable housing and resources for foster youth who had exited foster care. Since that time, our programs have served more than 10,000 young people between the ages of 16-25 in Los Angeles, the Bay Area, and six other states around the country.
Our mission is to help foster youth build the skills they need to make a successful transition to self-sufficiency and responsible adulthood. We provide safe, stable housing, paired with intensive case management to build crucial life-skills and emotional wellbeing. Our individualized education and employment counseling are the core of our program, ensuring that young people have a clear path to succeed in school and build job readiness skills qualifying them for living-wage positions.
By the time they exit our My First Place™ program 97% of youth attain stable housing and 85% are employed. Learn more about our impact and visit our My First Place™ page.
GLYNN WASHINGTON
We were thrilled to have Glynn Washington, Executive Producer of Snap Studios, as our host for the evening.
Before creating Snap Judgment & Spooked public media shows, Glynn worked as an educator, diplomat, actor, political strategist, fist-shaker, mountain-hollerer, and foot stomper.
Glynn composed music for the Kunst Stoff dance performances in San Francisco, rocked live spoken word poetry in Detroit, joined a band in Indonesia, wrote several screenplays, painted a daring series of self portraits, released a blues album, and thinks his stories are best served with cocktails.
EAST BAY HERITAGE QUILTERS
We were proud to honor our longtime partner, the East Bay Heritage Quilters (EBHQ), at our benefit dinner.
The East Bay Heritage Quilters are a nonprofit quilt guild based in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. Since its founding in 1978, EBHQ has been dedicated to preserving the rich traditions of quilting while fostering a vibrant community of quilters. Through educational programs, special events, and a shared passion for the art of quilting, EBHQ promotes camaraderie, enhances appreciation for fine quilts, and supports quilting activities that inspire creativity and connection.
*last updated April 28, 2025
PRESENTING
BRONZE
Keith Shultz and Karen MayJoseph and Arnette Whitehouse
FRIEND
Darryl Glass and Aaron ChanHilda West and Tom Dufurrena
ADVOCATE
Carrie Busch
ALLY
Michelle Ellison and James EyerNancy Heinen and Dennis DeBroeckEpiscopal Impact FundCarol and Lester EzratiBarbara and Jeffery Bennett
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SILENT AUCTION DONORS
A.C.T.Art + PracticeBarbara & Jeffery BennettBerkeley RepCastoro CellarsDashe CellarsEast Bay Heritage QuiltersFulldraw VineyardHalter RanchJackson Family WinesLivermore Valley WinegrowersNew Conservatory Theater CenterOakland BallersOakland Museum of CaliforniaOakland RootsPear TheatrePhilippa Roberts JewelrySan Francisco PlayhouseShotgun PlayersThe Campodonico FamilyTheatreWorks Silicon ValleyViarae Prosecco
SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR BEVERAGE SPONSORS
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