Wednesday's Child: Community honors Foster Nation founder

Former foster youth Maggie Lin was surrounded by family and friends, and a fiancé as she was honored for her work to uplift other former foster youth. 

Lin is the founder of Foster Nation. She describes Foster Nation as a "nonprofit with a mission to support youth aging out of the foster care system to become self-sufficient."

Lin is a Dartmouth grad and was honored with a Visionary Award by the LACC Foundation, Los Angeles City College Foundation. During the COVID lockdown, Foster Nation provided free meals to college students who'd been in foster care.

Foster nation is gearing up for CareerX 2023, a career mentorship program matching youth with volunteers who will share life and workplace expertise much like a career coach.

Maggie and sister Rachel grew up in foster homes and finally landed in the home of Kate Moulene, a single mother with two sons, and an adopted daughter. Moulene says "she is passionate that every foster child gets to live their own dreams."

Before that, they'd appeared on FOX 11's Wednesday's Child segment in search of permanent homes.

Anyone wishing to mentor or guide a former foster youth through CareerX 20223 can click here to apply.

Foster Nation is backed by the Pritzker Foundation and Jeanne Pritzker's nonprofit Foster Care Counts in support of foster parents.

Foster Nations says on its website, "Over 26,000 foster youth age out of the foster care system when they turn 18 or 21 years old every year. Foster youth are handed a trash bag, a list of homeless shelters, and sent into the world with little to no support."

Foster Nation also collects gently used career clothing for former foster youth. 

The event was held at the Skirball Center in 2022. You can click here for more information on the LACC Foundation.