Freedom FWD-DBA Freedom Forward

HYPE: In 2022, the Organization reached over 200 youth through its HYPE Center (Helping Young People Elevate), a multi-services youth center for all young people ages 14-24, especially those who have experienced the foster care or probation system, homelessness, and/or the sex trade. Building on the success of our initial launch, the HYPE Center became fully operational in 2022, providing much-needed resources and a welcoming space for our young community members to gather and thrive. As part of our ongoing efforts to cater to the holistic needs of our beneficiaries, we rejuvenated our facility to incorporate a mindfulness and movement area, an upgrade that fosters mental and physical wellness while also promoting self-expression. Throughout the year, the Organization demonstrated its commitment to empowering these young people by distributing over $20,000 in self-determination funds. This financial assistance was instrumental in enabling our beneficiaries to achieve their individual goals, fostering self-reliance and confidence. We also hosted several community events aimed at increasing outreach and raising awareness about our services and the issues our youth face. These events fostered a greater sense of community and solidarity, underlining the importance of collective action in addressing the challenges that our young people encounter.

Collaboration:The Organization continued to be a member of the San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking and to play a critical leadership role on the Steering Committee of SF SOL, a new collaborative of organizations working to serve youth in San Francisco who have been impacted by or may experience commercial sexual exploitation.Youth Leadership:Forward Fellows are powerful young leaders, working to shift the narratives and systems that affect the lives of youth impacted by trafficking and/or the underground street economy in San Francisco. Supported by the Organization and the Young Womens Freedom Center, they pursue a year of paid, healing-centered leadership workshops, serve as the first youth advisory board for the San Francisco mayors task force on anti-human trafficking, and develop projects to affect their visions of change. In 2020, five Forward Fellows graduated from the program's second cohort. Their final proects included research on youth who had experienced sex trade, a focus group exploring decriminalization of sex work, a personal video advocating against the trafficking of other youth, a proposal for 24/7 wraparound services, and a song and music video about life on the streets.

FAM: In 2022, with the support of the city and state and collaborative partners, the Organization continued to lead and refine implementation of FAM (Family and Me), a new model of family-based foster care designed to meet the needs of youth impacted by or at risk of commercial sexual exploitation. FAM increases the capacity of foster caregivers by providing opportunities for shared caregiving, specialized and ongoing training, and access to discretionary funding to meet unexpected needs and to support youth in accessing activities and relationships important to them. In 2022, 9 adults attended a FAM Caregiver Orientation, 6 adults attended the FAM Caregiver Training, and $26,216 was distributed to support eligible youth and families. The Organization also refined the FAM model based on our learnings and began transitioning to a new Foster Family Agency (FFA) partner for implementation at the city and county level in the new 2023-2025 contract.