Promises2Kids was recently featured in 3 articles published by the Union-Tribune on the topic of navigating the foster care bridge.

Guardian Scholar Roberto Lopez talks about the vital role his foster mom played in his current successes and the positive impact Promises2Kids has had on him.

MaryJo Meer discusses what being a foster parent means to her, and describes her experiences with Promises2Kids’ programs.

And our CEO, Tonya Torosian, outlines how vital mentorship and support are to foster youth transitioning from care to the next stages of their life.

You can read the articles here: Roberto, MaryJo, & Tonya Torosian

Last week, Guardian Scholars were hosted by the City of San Diego and Mayor Todd Gloria’s office for a “Shadow Day”. This day provided a unique opportunity for students to learn about city government, shadow elected officials and city staff members, and gain valuable experience in a work environment.

The day kicked off with an address by Mayor Gloria who proclaimed May Foster Care Awareness Month. Students then dispersed with various city council members, Board Supervisor Nora Vargas, and department offices to spend half the day shadowing employees and absorbing this unique experience.

We are grateful to the city, Mayor Gloria, Councilmembers, Supervisor Vargas, and the department offices for partnering on this initiative and helping create brighter futures for foster youth as they begin the next phase of their lives. 

On May 20th, over 40 guests were hosted by Jolene Perry at her beautiful Rancho Santa Fe home for her annual Winemaker Dinner, benefiting Promises2Kids.

Those in attendance were treated to an exquisite 3-course meal prepared by Executive Chef Jeffery Strauss of Pamplemousse Grille and paired with premier wines from Cooper Winery.

The evening was a true celebration of our mission to create brighter futures for the foster youth of San Diego.

Quality time in the kitchen can be nourishing in more ways than one, as a group of Guardian Scholars learned in a hands-on course in healthy eating.

The students joined Chef Laura in her kitchen for the opportunity to learn new culinary skills and to practice the radical self-care that cooking provides. They prepared several delicious dishes, including a ginger soy chicken with zucchini noodles, cilantro lime salmon with quinoa salad, and an oatmeal berry crumble.

Lessons learned from this class will give these students the confidence to express themselves in the kitchen and empower them to take their mental and physical health into their own hands. It was a memorable experience, and each student left full, nourished in body and mind.

Finding a moment’s peace during this busy time of year can be a big challenge for many students. But that’s exactly what a group of Guardian Scholars worked on when they visited Riffs Yoga in OB for an instructional session.

Yoga works to heal our body, mind, and soul and in times of high stress, these students can use the skills they learned from this class to relax and become grounded. To help them on their journey, each received a yoga mat and gift bag with self-care items such as lotions, bath bombs, and more. After class, the group had dinner at OB Noodle House where they bonded over memories of the day and shared their favorite self-care methods.=

By the end of the day, the group had expanded their horizons, explored self-care, and shared a memorable experience together!