John Burton Advocates for Youth

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JBAY improves the quality of life for youth in California who have been in foster care or homeless by advocating for better laws, training communities to strengthen local practices and conducting research to inform policy solutions. John Burton Advocates for Youth improves the quality of life for youth in California who have been in foster care or homeless by advocating for better laws, training communities to strengthen local practices and conducting research to inform policy solutions.

05/26/2026

Every young person deserves a safe place to call home. That’s why we’re advocating to make the HHAP youth set-aside an ongoing investment rather than a funding source that must be renewed each year. Advocacy matters because it helps turn temporary solutions into lasting change.

Visit the link in our bio to sign our support budget letter regarding Homelessness Funding Guarantee for Youth.

Thank you to Governor Newsom for including funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Round 7 pr...
05/22/2026

Thank you to Governor Newsom for including funding for the Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention (HHAP) Round 7 program in the May Revise. The impact of HHAP is clear - it led to a 24% reduction in youth homelessness, and a 42% percent reduction in unsheltered youth homelessness. JBAY is urging state leaders to support Assemblymember Ward’s budget request to secure an $80 million ongoing minimum funding guarantee for youth experiencing homelessness. Together, we can close the pipeline to chronic homelessness.

The Governor’s May Revise maintains his proposed $500 million investment in HHAP for 2026-27. If the Governor’s budget is adopted and Assemblymember Ward’s proposal is adopted, then the minimum funding guarantee would trigger. This additional investment will ensure that $80 million is available for youth homelessness providers to keep youth housed and off the streets in California. However, funding would come with new local requirements for local governments including housing planning compliance, encampment policies, pro-housing reforms, and local funding matches.

There is still time to advocate for more funding for youth experiencing homelessness! Join JBAY in supporting the budget request sign on here: https://jbay.org/2026-advocacy/.

Please join us for John Burton Advocates for Youth’s Free Tax Preparation and Self-Filing Event to receive assistance wi...
05/21/2026

Please join us for John Burton Advocates for Youth’s Free Tax Preparation and Self-Filing Event to receive assistance with your taxes from IRS-Certified VITA Volunteers.

Current and former foster youth are receiving an average tax return of $1,857 for the 2025 tax year!

The event is open to California TAY, current and former foster youth, youth experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, and out of home placement probation youth.

File with support from a volunteer!
Get a refund of some of the taxes you paid last year, even if you didn’t make a lot of money.

Get even more money back from valuable tax credits like the CA Foster Youth Tax Credit!

For more info contact Imelda: imelda@jbay.org

On March 19th, the California State Senate adjourned in memory of our namesake, Senator John Burton. For everyone at JBA...
05/19/2026

On March 19th, the California State Senate adjourned in memory of our namesake, Senator John Burton.

For everyone at JBAY, this moment hit deeply. His unwavering belief in young people — especially those who have experienced foster care or faced housing instability — drove real change: investments in higher education, housing, basic needs, and pathways to success that thousands rely on today.

That legacy lives on in our work. Since JBAY began, we’ve helped pass 65 legislative reforms and secure $3.6 billion in new investments for youth across California.

As the Senate honored his life, we’re reminded: legacy isn’t just what you leave behind — it’s what we carry forward.

We are proud to carry his name and remain relentlessly committed to continuing the fight.

Read the full reflection: https://jbay.org/the-senate-adjourns-but-our-work-continues/

JBAY was at the 2026 California Foster Youth Education Summit! 💙 Christina Lomeli, Senior Project Manager of Higher Educ...
05/18/2026

JBAY was at the 2026 California Foster Youth Education Summit! 💙

Christina Lomeli, Senior Project Manager of Higher Education, and Imelda Islas-Olivo, Senior Project Manager of Housing and Economic Mobility, presented in the workshop:

“Real Money, Real Impact: Unlocking California’s Financial Resources for Foster Youth”

In this interactive session, they shared JBAY’s “Money on the Table” framework to help professionals identify critical financial resources available to foster youth — including the CalKIDS Scholarship and Foster Youth Tax Credit. Participants worked through real-world scenarios to uncover common barriers and design stronger cross-system strategies between K–12, child welfare, and higher education.

The workshop emphasized how these financial tools, when fully leveraged during the transition to college, can help young people move from surviving to truly thriving.

Proud of our team for equipping advocates and educators with practical tools to turn policy into real opportunity for foster youth.

🎓 Current & Former Foster Youth in LA County — if you earned an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree o...
05/15/2026

🎓 Current & Former Foster Youth in LA County — if you earned an Associate’s degree, Bachelor’s degree, Master’s degree or completed a certificate program this 2025-26 academic year, this event is for you!

JBAY is hosting the LA College Graduation Celebration on Friday, May 29, 2026 from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM at Cal State LA.

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Daisy Gonzales as our Keynote Speaker!

A former foster youth herself, Dr. Gonzales is the Executive Director of the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). She is a passionate advocate for educational equity and has dedicated her career to expanding access to financial aid and higher education opportunities for students from underserved communities — including foster youth. Her story and leadership continue to inspire thousands across California.

Come celebrate your hard work, resilience, and success! Enjoy a heartfelt ceremony, receive an award and special gift, and join us for a delicious buffet luncheon surrounded by people who truly understand your journey.

Register by May 22, 2026 → https://form.jotform.com/260756049996171

Let’s make this a day to remember and honor everything you’ve accomplished! 💙

Good news! Thank you to Senate Pro Tem Monique Limón, Speaker Robert Rivas, Senator John Laird, and Assemblymember Jesse...
05/15/2026

Good news! Thank you to Senate Pro Tem Monique Limón, Speaker Robert Rivas, Senator John Laird, and Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel for including the Homeless Housing, Assistance Prevention (HHAP) program in the Senate and Assembly 2026-27 budget plans. The HHAP youth set-aside has led to a 24% reduction in youth homelessness statewide, and California must preserve the progress made. JBAY is urging state leaders to include Assemblymember Ward’s budget request for an going $80 million youth homelessness funding guarantee. To join JBAY in supporting the budget request sign on here: https://jbay.org/2026-advocacy/.

The Senate’s “Foundation for the Future” plan proposes $1 billion for HHAP – for both this coming fiscal year and the next. The Assembly’s “Road Map to a Responsible and Compassionate Budget” lists HHAP as a funding priority and a proven solution to move people into stable housing. Through HHAP investments, the state will continue to make progress on serving youth experiencing homelessness.

Link to the Senate plan:https://democrats.senate.ca.gov/sites/democrats.senate.ca.gov/files/iu/FINAL-FFTF-Budget.pdf

Link to the Assembly plan:https://abgt.assembly.ca.gov/system/files/2026-05/assembly-democrats-budget-road-map.pdf

It was great being back on to talk about why May’s Foster Care Awareness Month is so important. We’re always grateful f...
05/13/2026

It was great being back on to talk about why May’s Foster Care Awareness Month is so important. We’re always grateful for the opportunity to highlight the advocacy work JBAY is doing to support foster youth and create lasting change.
We were also excited to be joined by Serena, one of our incredible JBAY Youth Advocates, who shared her voice and perspective with the with the community today 💙

Today, JBAY was proud to join Asm. Ahrens in recognizing May as Foster Youth Awareness Month and to be acknowledged on t...
05/12/2026

Today, JBAY was proud to join Asm. Ahrens in recognizing May as Foster Youth Awareness Month and to be acknowledged on the California Senate floor for our continued commitment to supporting young people across the state.

We are honored to see this work recognized and deeply grateful to the partners, advocates, supporters, and community members who help make our mission possible every day. Together, we remain committed to advancing opportunity, stability, and lasting support for foster youth and young adults throughout California.💪

Big news for California’s college students! ✅ AB 2251 (Rodriguez) and AB 2766 (Ahrens) have both PASSED out of Assembly ...
04/20/2026

Big news for California’s college students!

✅ AB 2251 (Rodriguez) and AB 2766 (Ahrens) have both PASSED out of Assembly Higher Education Committee with unanimous support.

AB 2251 improves access to financial aid by requiring colleges to bring real transparency and consistency to the Cost of Attendance adjustment process.

➡️ AB 2766 (Ahrens) AB 2766 improves access to priority housing for foster youth and students with experiencing homelessness, defers or waives upfront housing deposits, and expands eligibility to priority registration for foster youth attending community college so students can stay housed, stay in school and finish their degrees.

We’re deeply grateful to Assemblymember Celeste Rodriguez and Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens for their leadership and relentless commitment to policies that lift up California’s youth.

JBAY’s Director of Education, Jessica Petrass, and Youth Advocate, Izel Casillas, delivered powerful testimony that brought lived experience and a sense of urgency into the hearing room. Their voices, joined by many other students and organizations in support, helped advance these bills forward.

Let’s keep the momentum going! 💪 Learn more at jbay.org/2026-advocacy/

Address

235 Montgomery Street, Ste 1142
San Francisco, CA
94104

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14153480011

Website

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