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A dedicated team with a big heart, driven by a community of changemakers who know the system.

We’re in this together!

BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH CONNECTION

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BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH CONNECTION ☺

Maggie Lin

Executive Director
Meredith Kornfeind

Program & Partnerships Manager
Alec Marcellin

Operations & Strategy Officer

MISSION + VALUES

Foster Nation empowers foster youth to become self-sufficient adults through transformative mentorship and essential resources to help youth lead their best lives after foster care.

We believe that every individual has the power to transcend their life circumstances, and every foster youth has the power to turn the impossible into “I’m possible.”

● Community and Connection: We cultivate a community to hold space and restore hope and connection to those that need it most.

● Empowerment: We listen because you know best - we listen to what young people want for their best lives and we let young people lead the way; we are simply there to be supportive.

● Dignity: We treat everyone with dignity - everyone deserves to be seen, heard, and valued.

● Intention: We personalize and individualize (you are special and unique) - we provide individualized opportunities for young people to reach their unique professional and personal dreams.

● Kindness: We are all worthy of kindness - in everything we do, we remind young people that they belong, they matter, and they are not alone.

● Empathy: We lead with empathy- we meet and support young people where they are, rather than where we think they should be.

● Mutual Respect: We believe everyone has something to give and we can all learn from each other (we don’t operate with a helper-helpless lens).

A Mentor’s Impact: Maggie Lin

Maggie Lin grew up in the Los Angeles foster care system and overcame a challenging childhood marked by loss and instability.

Her childhood was fraught with abuse and neglect as she was born to a young mother, and her father was murdered when she was 2 years old. In her time with the system, she moved through 6 different placements.

In her last foster home, she had an incredible mentor that helped her realize she had high potential and was capable of attending college.

With that support, she earned a Philosophy degree from Dartmouth College and went on to impactful roles, including work with Nobel Laureate Dr. Rajendra Pachauri at the UN and strategic roles in tech and social impact.

Inspired by her own journey, Maggie founded Foster Nation to rally young professionals in support of foster youth transitioning to adulthood, helping them build brighter, self-sufficient futures.

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