Nonprofit Just in Time for Foster Youth will be honoring a Rancho Santa Fe family for their commitment to foster youth at the organization’s Walk the Talk gala on March 14th.
Through the family’s Livingston Foundation, Rancho Santa Fe residents Susanne and Brad Livingston and their daughters have supported the nonprofit since it began 10 years ago.
Just in Time for Foster Youth organizes a variety of programs to support foster youth, from career networking opportunities to college prep counseling. Their vision is to provide a community for youths who must eventually leave the foster care system. JIT sees itself as an extended family for transitioning foster youth, and partners with individuals, agencies, businesses and foundations that share their core values and mission to provide essential resources and programs.
The Livingstons have lived in Rancho Santa Fe for a little over a year. Susanne and her husband Brad started Residential Wholesale Mortgage in 1994, a “community mortgage banker” that gives residential loans to help people finance homes and investment properties.
Just in Time for Foster Youth is not the only organization they support. In 2001, they founded Living to Succeed, a scholarship program that over 25 foster youths have gotten involved in. They have all gone on to become successful college students.
Throughout the years, they have also supported the Stevens Cancer Center in San Diego, Casa de Amparo and Second Chance. Many of the organizations they have chosen to support provide care for underprivileged children.
“There are so many great causes in San Diego, so each year we took our allocation and gave to those causes,” said Susanne Livingston.
The Livingstons first found out about Just in Time through their business nearly 10 years ago, when the organization was just starting up. A local real estate agent had asked the Livingstons whether they could donate furniture to help the youths set up their first homes.
“It’s not always a hand out, it’s a hand up, to help them live a better life,” she said. “If we can change the life of just one person at a time, it really makes a difference,” added Susanne.
The Walk the Talk gala will take place on March 14th in beautiful Balboa Park from 6 to 10pm. Tickets are sold out, but you can still sponsor a youth or make a donation!