Congressional Coalition Adoption Institute – Foster Youth Internship Program

CCAI’s Foster Youth Internship Program® is a life-changing youth empowerment program that provides young adults who have spent their formative years in foster care with the opportunity to intern in a congressional office for a summer. The Foster Youth Internship Program® began in 2003 as an effort to raise awareness to federal policymakers about the needs and unique perspectives of those who spent time in foster care. 

For 14 years, CCAI has provided over 180 interns with a Capitol Hill internship experience that not only develops and launches this vulnerable group of young people into their professional careers but also facilitates opportunities for them to advocate for better policies for foster children all over the nation. A direct result of the Foster Youth Internship Program® is that Members of Congress are shown firsthand the real life experiences of youth growing up in foster care. 

At the conclusion of the program, the interns author a policy report of recommendations on improving the federal foster care system (the 2016 congressional policy report has been provided with this application). This report is presented at a Congressional briefing and a briefing to the White House Domestic Policy Council, as well as disseminated across the country. 

In 2016, Legacy Collective was able to rally around this organization and support the Foster Youth Internship Program, allowing CCAI to further our mission and impact the lives of so many foster children.

CCAI is requesting $25,000 to help them support and send Foster Youth to capitol hill for the internship program.

Website: http://www.ccainstitute.org/