Every young person deserves a voice—and a seat at the table.

The Florida Youth SHINE – Jacksonville Chapter, sponsored by Fostering Connections, is led by youth with lived foster care experience who are stepping up to create change. They’ve walked the path, and now they’re using their voices to make the system better for those who come after them.

On January 23, we invite you to join us for SHINE Forward: Our First Step—a youth-led fundraiser featuring games, a silent auction, student testimonials, plus great food and drinks. This night is more than just fun—it’s the launch of a movement. Together, we’ll raise the support needed to help youth advocates attend local trainings, quarterly leadership meetings, and statewide advocacy trips to Tallahassee, where they meet with senators, representatives, and policymakers.

What your gift makes possible:

$10 – Supporter: Helps cover supplies and snacks for a youth at a local meeting.
$30 – Event Ticket: Admission to SHINE Forward: Our First Step.
$50 – Sponsor a Seat: Provides a youth with the chance to participate in the fundraiser and receive advocacy support.
$250 – Quarterly Training Sponsor: Covers one youth’s attendance at a quarterly advocacy meeting with leadership training.
$625 – Advocacy Trip Sponsor: Sends one youth to Tallahassee for statewide Advocacy Day, including travel, lodging, and meals.
$1,000+ Champion Sponsors: Provide multiple youth with access to quarterly trainings and statewide advocacy trips.

✨ Every $50 = one more youth with a seat at the table.

Your support helps us take our first step forward—ensuring Jacksonville’s youth advocates are equipped, empowered, and ready to SHINE.

About Florida Youth SHINE & Fostering Connections

Florida Youth SHINE (FYS), established in 2005, is a statewide, peer-led organization of current and former foster youth (ages 13–26) dedicated to improving the child welfare system through advocacy, leadership, and lived-experience storytelling. The Jacksonville Chapter launched in 2024 and is already building momentum as youth find their voice and lead change in our community.

Fostering Connections, established in 2019, is a Northeast Florida nonprofit dedicated to helping children and teens impacted by foster care and adoption thrive through education, enrichment, and empowerment programs. Its mission is simple yet powerful: Empowering Youth, Supporting Families, Building a Brighter Future. As the sponsor of the Jacksonville Chapter of FYS, Fostering Connections provides the support and infrastructure that allows youth to focus on what matters most: using their voices to change the system for the better.

SHINE Forward: Our First Step

By Fostering Connections Inc

SHINE Forward: Our First Step