Saturday, April 12, 2014 | The Fairmont San Jose
~ Featuring Daymond John, Founder and CEO of FUBU ~
Expert reports site grim statistics for US foster youth. On any given day, there are approximately 400,000 children in out-of-home care in the U.S.; the average age of the children in foster care is over nine years old; in California, 65% of youth leaving care do so without a place to live; over 70% of all California State Penitentiary inmates have spent time in the foster care system. For more than 20 years, Unity Care has been a community leader ins addressing the housing and social service needs of these children and youth.
San Francisco Bay Area, CA — Unity Care, a non-profit agency serving foster youth and families in the San Francisco Bay Area, is thrilled to announce its third annual YouthLive! Gala at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, California on Saturday, April 12, 2014. Special guest, Daymond John, co-star of ABC’s hit reality television show, “Shark Tank,”, will join Andre Chapman, founder and CEO of Unity Care, to celebrate its life changing programs. “I’m honored to be a part of Unity Care’s third annual YouthLive! Gala fundraiser,” commented John about his participation in the benefit gala. “There are few causes as important as assisting children.”
Funds raised at YouthLive! support Unity Care’s ongoing efforts to provide foster care youth with its Five Pillars of Success – housing, employment, education, well-being and unconditional care. All too often, while inside the foster care system, foster youth are left to fend for themselves without appropriate life skills or a stable adult support system. Said Mr. Chapman said, “It is a tragedy that over half of the foster youth that emancipate from the foster care system become homeless across our nation. Unity Care has aggressively addressed this problem by developing innovative affordable housing solutions.” Chapman He continued, “Over the past year, we’ve successfully opened two homes and secured ten studio apartments in the heart of Silicon Valley. Our transitional housing gives foster youth a safe place to live where they can focus on education, employment and life skills. We’ve provided them with a solid foundation for a better future.”
At 5:00 p.m. the gala evening will commence with a VIP reception (by invitation) that will include photo opportunities with Mr. John, followed by a 6:00 p.m. no-host bar open reception, silent art auction and treasure chest key sales. At 7:00 p.m. attendees will enjoy a delectable dinner while Unity Care’s foster youth and local young people showcase their respective talents and take to the stage and fashion runway. John, founder, president and CEO of the highly successful FUBU line of apparel, will deliver keynote remarks about his modest upbringing and his journey to becoming a retail brand mogul. He will also discuss the value in supporting children and families who are without healthy, safe and stable living situations. At 8:00 p.m. a Unity Care program alumni will share their story, followed by a ‘Fund the Mission’ live auction.
YouthLive! 2013 was a magnificently-supported, sold out event, and YouthLive! 2014 is headed in the same direction. Individual tickets are $150 and table sponsorships are $2,500 (seating for 10). Unity Care requests that purchases be made by March 28th. Tickets may be purchased online at www.youth-live.com/purchase.php.
Additionally, Unity Care is grateful for the very generous contributions of the following sponsors: Sleep Train Mattress Center, Silicon Valley Business Journal, Lexus of Stevens Creek, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Suhr Risk Services of California, and Marcia & Chris Riedel.
ABOUT UNITY CARE
Unity Care is a strengths-based, family-focused, and culturally proficient youth and family development agency. Since 1993, our mission has been to “provide quality youth and family programs for the purpose of creating healthier communities through lifelong partnerships.” Unity Care, now in its 21st year of advocating for foster youth, offers innovative community-based, mental health, education, employment and housing programs. For more information, please visit www.unitycare.org or call (408) 510-3480.
PRESS CONTACT:
Linda Vu / Unity Care
408-510-3480 ext.114
EVENT CONTACT
Jacqui Marchessini / Unity Care
408-510-3480
JMarchessini@UnityCare.org