On Tuesday, Supervisor Doug Teeter (Butte) joined representatives from RCRC, National Homebuyers Fund, Inc. (NHF) and iFoster at the Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services’ 4th Annual Graduation Celebration for the Class of 2018.  Following the event, more than 75 eligible foster youth and former foster youth aged 16-21 in Butte County will be receiving laptops, courtesy of RCRC and NHF’s joint $400,000 statewide contribution to iFoster’s 1 Laptop Program for Foster Youth.  

In late 2017, RCRC and NHF’s Boards of Directors each approved providing $200,000 to support the 1 Laptop Program.  Through this one-time contribution, more than 1,100 eligible foster youth and former foster youth in care will receive laptops within RCRC’s 35 member counties, including more than 75 in Butte County.

“Our foster youth deserve the tools that help open the doors of opportunity and information,” said Supervisor Teeter.  “It is a honor to serve with 34 rural county Supervisors who unanimously voted to team up with iFoster in providing a computer to each of them.”

The 1 Laptop Program is run by iFoster, a national non-profit serving the child welfare community, including formal foster care, guardianship, informal kinship care, transition-age youth (16-24) and probation.  iFoster’s mission is to ensure that every child growing up outside of their biological home has the resources they need to become independent adults and to have access to opportunities to reach their full potential.  The 1 Laptop Program is designed for foster youth and former foster youth ages 16-21.

Details on the RCRC/NHF partnership and contribution to California’s foster youth can be accessed here.  Details on iFoster can be accessed here.