Foster Youth of America

What Foster Youth of America does

Foster Youth of America (FYA) is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Central Florida that supports foster youth, aged-out foster youth, and foster and adoptive families through a portfolio of direct-service and community programs. Its core offerings include the 97% Project (an educational awareness and intervention program addressing low college completion among foster youth), the annual ELEVATION Conference (a free life-skills and career-readiness conference for youth aged 16–24), the Winter Wonderland Ball (an annual formal event for teens in and aging out of foster care), the Furniture Donation Program, the Aged Out Youth Resource Hub, and Legacy Mentor Program referrals delivered in partnership with Embrace Families. The organization also operates the Heart Gallery of Central Florida, a sister program founded in 2010 by the same founder that uses professional photography to match foster children with adoptive families.

The underlying technology stack is minimal and consumer-grade: a PhotoBiz-hosted marketing website, standard social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), PayPal donation buttons, and Google Forms for intake. There is no proprietary software, no mobile app, no API, and no disclosed AI or data systems; program delivery, case management, and outcomes tracking are not described as technology-mediated.

FYA is funded entirely through donations and sponsorships, with five identified revenue streams: individual one-time and monthly gifts, in-kind donations (furniture, household goods, bikes, electronics), vehicle donations, corporate sponsorships (including wedding industry partners), and fundraising events (the Winter Wonderland Ball and ELEVATION Conference). All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, there is no pricing model, and no revenue, grant, or funding totals are disclosed. The organization is led by founder and Board Chair Misty Miotto, supported by a six-person board and a single specialist staff role (Aged Out Youth Specialist).

Name

Foster Youth of America

Legal name

Foster Youth of America

Website

https://fosteryouthofamerica.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Foster Youth of America is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Central Florida that delivers wraparound programs — including the 97% Project, ELEVATION Conference, Winter Wonderland Ball, furniture donations, and Heart Gallery adoption matching — to foster youth, aged-out foster youth, and adoptive families, funded entirely through donations, sponsorships, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foster Care & Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)

Keywords

• Foster youth services
• Youth mentorship programs
• Adoption support services
• Community resource coordination
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Orlando

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly financial donations from individuals supporting foster youth programs and services.
2. In-Kind Donations: Accepts gently used furniture, household items, bikes, electronics, and other goods to distribute to aged-out foster youth.
3. Vehicle Donations: Accepts used vehicle donations to support aged-out foster youth with transportation needs.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Partnerships with businesses to sponsor youth or programs, including event sponsorships and in-kind contributions from wedding industry partners.
5. Fundraising Events: Organizes fundraisers including the annual Winter Wonderland Ball and Elevation Conference to generate revenue for programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Foster Youth of America is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free wraparound services to current and aged-out foster youth and to foster and adoptive families in Central Florida. Its core offerings include the 97% Project educational awareness program, the Annual ELEVATION Conference for life-skills and career preparation, the Winter Wonderland Ball, a Furniture Donation Program supplying household goods to youth aging out of care, the Heart Gallery of Central Florida adoption photography program, an online resource directory, and referrals to a Legacy Mentor Program in partnership with Embrace Families.

Product overview

Foster Youth of America is a faith-based nonprofit organization operating as a single, unified charitable entity rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The organization provides a portfolio of programs and services focused on supporting foster youth, aged-out foster youth, and foster/adoptive families in Central Florida. Core offerings include the 97% Project (educational awareness program), Annual ELEVATION Conference (life skills training conference), Winter Wonderland Ball (formal event for teens), Heart Gallery of Central Florida (adoption photography program), Furniture Donation Program, Aged Out Youth Resource Hub, and Legacy Mentor Program referrals. These programs collectively address the needs of youth throughout the foster care journey from placement through aging out, with the organization serving as a community bridge rather than a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The 97% Project: Program aimed at changing statistics for foster youth by early intervention, creating awareness about educational challenges, and helping children pursue GED if behind in school.
• Annual ELEVATION Conference
• Winter Wonderland Ball

Products and services

• The 97% Project Educational awareness and intervention program aimed at improving outcomes for foster youth by addressing the statistic that only about 3% of foster youth earn a four-year college degree, creating awareness about educational challenges, and helping children pursue a GED if behind in school.
• Annual ELEVATION Conference Free annual conference for youth aged 16-24 preparing to age out of, or already aged out of, the Central Florida foster care system, providing workshops on personal finance, workplace communication, goal setting, interview coaching, credit management, professional headshots, resume services, and scholarship opportunities.
• Winter Wonderland Ball Annual formal event benefiting teens in foster care and recently aged-out youth in extended foster care, featuring formal clothing, entertainment, dinner, gifts, and a celebratory royal court experience.
• Furniture Donation Program Program providing donated furniture, household supplies, bikes, computers, food, desks, and other essential items to youth who have aged out of the Florida foster care system.
• Aged Out Youth Resource Hub Comprehensive online resource directory connecting aged-out foster youth with housing, employment, education, healthcare, identification documents, bus passes, and emergency support services across Central Florida.
• Legacy Mentor Program Referrals Mentorship referral service connecting foster youth with adult mentors through a partnership with Embrace Families' Legacy Mentor Program in Central Florida.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served hundreds, if not thousands, of children with life skills, advocacy, and support

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Embrace FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmbrace Families is the lead agency partner for the annual Winter Wonderland Ball, a formal event for teens in foster care and aged-out youth. The partnership leverages Embrace Families' position as Central Florida's child welfare lead agency to coordinate services and reach beneficiaries.
• Foundation for Foster ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation for Foster Children serves as the educational partner for the annual Elevation Conference, offering workshops on personal finance, workplace communication, goal setting, interview coaching, and credit management. Provides breakfast, lunch, and snacks throughout the conference.
• Hilton Garden Inn Lake Buena VistaminorOthersVenue sponsor for the annual Elevation Conference, hosting the free event for youth ages 16-24 at their Lake Buena Vista location. The conference is hosted every year at this venue.
• McCoy Federal UnionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial institution partner that teaches youth at the Elevation Conference how to write checks and open bank accounts, supporting financial literacy and independence for foster youth.
• Heart Gallery of Central FloridacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Misty Miotto in 2010, the Heart Gallery works alongside child welfare professionals and adoption advocates to help find forever families for children in foster care through professional photography, public awareness campaigns, and community education. Sister organization to Foster Youth of America.
• Wedding and Event Industry PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCountless wedding professionals including venues, caterers, DJs, florists, planners, photographers, videographers, rental companies, entertainers, and beauty professionals have contributed time, talents, services, and financial resources. Many have organized independent fundraisers, sponsored youth programs, and donated professional services supporting children in foster care.
• Misty Miotto PhotographyminorOthersFounder Misty Miotto's wedding photography business, through which she has cultivated relationships with businesses and organizations and secured thousands of dollars in donated services and products benefiting foster youth.
• Legacy Mentor Program (Embrace Families)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFoster Youth of America refers community members to the Legacy Mentor Program offered by Embrace Families, Central Florida's lead agency, to connect foster youth with mentors for ongoing support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Care Portal: Technology-enabled platform connecting families in need with local church and community support. Documented partner of FYA and directly comparable on resource-coordination technology and community-driven service delivery.
• FosterClub: National nonprofit led by foster youth alumni providing peer support, leadership training, and resources for current and former foster youth. Comparable on mentorship, transition support, and youth-development mission.
• Together We Rise: National nonprofit supporting youth in foster care through donations, mentorship, and transition programs. Comparable on mission and program mix (furniture, housing, life skills for aged-out youth), though operating at significantly greater scale.
• A Sense of Home: Nonprofit providing furniture and household goods to former foster youth aging out of care. Directly comparable to FYA's Furniture Donation Program, serving the same aged-out population with similar in-kind donation model.
• Embrace Families: Central Florida's lead child welfare agency, a core partner of Foster Youth of America through the Legacy Mentor Program and Winter Wonderland Ball. Directly comparable given overlapping beneficiary population and community-based service model.
• National Foster Youth Institute: National advocacy organization led by foster youth alumni working to improve outcomes for the foster care population. Comparable mission and beneficiary base; operates at broader geographic and policy scale.
• Foundation for Foster Children: Central Florida nonprofit providing educational and enrichment programs to children in foster care. Direct peer as it serves the same beneficiary population and is a documented strategic partner for the Elevation Conference.
• Heart Gallery of Central Florida: Sister organization also founded by Misty Miotto in 2010, using professional photography to match foster children with adoptive families. Direct peer given overlapping leadership, beneficiary population, and Central Florida geography.
• Treehouse (formerly Foster Care to Success): Nonprofit focused on educational support for youth in foster care, addressing the same <3% college completion statistic highlighted by FYA's 97% Project. Comparable on educational outcomes mission and aging-out transition focus.

Broad incumbents

• CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates): Established national nonprofit pairing volunteers with foster children for advocacy and mentorship. Comparable on mentor-matching and foster-youth support, though broader in scope and significantly more mature organizationally.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHXJlHuykNMMc2i7uGcOoXA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FosterYouthOfAmerica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/foster-youth-of-america
• Instagraminstagram.com/fosteryouthofamerica

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Foster Youth of America