“Donations to our fiscally sponsored projects allow them to respond to critical needs in our community. Thanks to the support of many donors, Community Initiatives serves inspired leaders as they build new programs to benefit us all.”

M. Melanie Beene
PRESIDENT AND CEO
COMMUNITY INITIATIVES
John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes



History & Mission
The John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes is dedicated to improving the quality of life for California’s homeless children and developing policy solutions to prevent homelessness. It was founded in 2004 by retired President pro tem of the California State Senate, John Burton.

For over 40 years, John Burton has dedicated himself to public service, helping the neediest in the State of California. Now, as the volunteer leader of the Foundation, John continues his fight for social justice through public policy targeted to reform California’s foster care system and through grant-making to assist homeless children and youth.

Our mission is to assist the 100,000 children in California without homes to obtain the education and healthcare they are entitled to, and to fill the gaps in their basic needs: food, clothing, housing, transportation, respite, and other critical needs leading to a healthy life.

We have also begun to address the needs of the 85,000 foster youth in California. Many of these foster youth go through the system without forming healthy relationships, doing well at school, or gaining the necessary confidence to survive in the real world. Moreover, the struggles of living in foster care gives rise to more serious difficulties after leaving the system. At 18 years old, foster children become legal adults and are “emancipated” from the system, with no further services to help them find jobs or places to live.

Priorities
Foster Care Reform
The John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes is committed to reducing participation in California’s foster care system and improving the quality of resources and support for those children and youth in foster care. The Foundation pursues this mission through four strategies:
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Public Policy and Advocacy: The Foundation works in partnership with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and local communities to develop and advocate for solutions to the challenges of the foster care system on the county, state, and federal levels.

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Independent Research: Through its independent research, the Foundation informs the development of effective public policy and practice in the field of foster care.

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Promoting Public Awareness and Engagement: The Foundation works to educate the public about the foster care system through a comprehensive communications strategy.

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Coalition Building and Community Organizing: The Foundation bridges the divide between policy and practice by engaging a wide range of stakeholders in its work, including nonprofit service providers, government, local communities, the labor community, and advocacy organizations.


Homeless Children and Youth
The Foundation focuses its resources on children to give them a future beyond the streets. Through its Homeless Children Fund, the John Burton Foundation makes grants to community organizations that assist homeless children and youth by providing direct services for mental health counseling, dental services, recreational opportunities, educational and mentoring services, and other various programs that help to improve the lives children both to enjoy the wonders of childhood and to become self-supporting members of society.

To date, the Homeless Children Fund has made grants to 31 community organizations that have directly benefited more than 8,000 homeless children and youth throughout California.

How You Can Help
Your generous contribution to the John Burton Foundation for Children Without Homes will advance the foster care reform movement and improve the quality of life for homeless children and youth today.

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