UNDEFEATABLE TOGETHER

Every year, thousands of young people in California turn 18 and walk out of the foster care system, or out of a jail cell, with no family waiting, no home to return to, and no one to call. The People Union exists so that none of them has to build a life alone.

The Problem We Exist to Solve

Most of us had someone. A parent who co-signed a first apartment. A relative who taught us to drive. A family table to come back to when things fell apart. Young people aging out of foster care and young adults leaving incarceration have none of that, and the numbers show what happens next.

• More than 15,000 young people age out of the U.S. foster care system every year, and roughly 1 in 4 experiences homelessness by their early twenties.
• Over 40% of youth who age out of foster care are incarcerated by age 20, and about 17% of the U.S. prison population spent time in foster care.
• More than 8 out of 10 youth offenders are arrested again within five years of release, most often because they return to the streets with no housing, no job, and no support.
• Only about half of former foster youth are employed at age 21, and by 26 they earn roughly half of what their peers earn.

These are not statistics about strangers. They are our neighbors: young Californians between 18 and 28 whose only failing was being born into circumstances they never chose. The gap between them and a stable life is not talent or willpower. It is the practical support of a family: a room, a ride, a job, and someone who believes in them.

What We Do

The People Union is a California 501(c)(3) nonprofit that steps into the family role for young adults ages 18–28 leaving foster care or incarceration. We provide transitional housing, food and personal care essentials, transportation, including help earning a driver’s license and buying a first car, hands-on job training, and spiritual mentorship rooted in our Greek Orthodox Christian faith, open to young people of every background and belief.

Be a Founding Supporter

The People Union was founded in 2020 and holds federal tax-exempt status. Today we are launching our first direct-service programs in California, with a vision to expand nationwide as resources grow. That means the donors who join us now are not just supporters. They are founders. Your gift builds the first homes, funds the first driver’s licenses, and opens the first doors. And through our Transparency page, you will see exactly where every dollar goes.