Open More Doors - BDOG 2026 - Pam Tuzza

Every year, roughly 200 young people turn 18 inside the foster care system across the six-county Sacramento region — Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado, Yolo, Sutter, and Yuba. On that birthday, most of them step into a world with no family safety net, no co-signer on a lease, and no backup plan.

The numbers are stark: nearly 50% face homelessness within 18 months of aging out. In Sacramento County alone, one in four unhoused people spent time in foster care as children. These aren't separate problems — they're one problem the system hasn't solved.

But the numbers miss something important. These young adults aren't waiting to be rescued. They apply to programs, show up for work, enroll in school, and keep trying. One 18-year-old applicant put it plainly: "I've never had a stable home living situation and I've always wanted that."

AcademySTAY is where that wanting meets real support.

How AcademySTAY Works

AcademySTAY provides safe housing and one-on-one support for young adults transitioning from foster care. Every student in the program is actively enrolled in college, trade school, or a vocational training program — and our team provides the wraparound care that makes education possible: mentorship, financial coaching, life skills workshops, mental health support, and a community that meets students where they are.

This isn't charity. It's a partnership built on mutual investment. Students bring their drive and their goals. Donors fund the stable housing that makes everything else possible.

The model works. In March 2026, AcademySTAY reached a milestone: 10,000 safe nights of housing provided since opening in October 2024. That's 10,000 nights of a locked door, a quiet room, and the stability to plan past tomorrow.

The Return on Investment

AcademySTAY's cost to run the program is less than $50 per day per student — funded entirely by donors.

Compare that to what Sacramento pays when foster youth fall through the cracks. Emergency shelter runs roughly $95 per day. And research from CalYOUTH shows that young adults who leave foster care without stable housing are significantly more likely to experience homelessness and justice system involvement — both of which cost the region far more than housing-plus-support ever would.

For every $1 invested in programs like AcademySTAY, the community sees $3.95 back in reduced public costs and better long-term outcomes (WSIPP research on extended foster care).

This is a fiscal decision that benefits our entire region.

What Your Gift Opens

$50 opens one safe night of housing and support

$350 opens one full week of stability

$1,500 opens one month of housing for a student

$5,000 opens a full semester of stability

And here's what makes Big Day of Giving different this year: The Board Leadership Match doubles every dollar. Your $50 gift becomes $100. Your $500 gift becomes $1,000. The match is capped at $25,000 across the whole campaign, so giving early — before May 7 if possible — helps us make sure every gift gets matched.

If you can, please give a gift today to support the students at AcademySTAY and share this page with one person who might care.

Help us open another door.

Big Day of Giving → May 7, 2026

Early giving opens April 23 — every dollar matched