Ticket to Dream Foundation

Famous Footwear is sending foster youth back to school this year with some cool new kicks! We're excited to team up with Converse once again to help 375 kiddos feel confident as they step back into the classrooms. Thank you to our friends at Famous Footwear & Converse for going the extra step for foster kids. 💙

We are always looking for opportunities to provide laptops to youth in care, & thanks to our friends at Famous Footwear, we were able to partner with T-Mobile to provide youth with brand new laptops with built in Wi-Fi just in time for the back-to-school season! Some reactions from our nonprofit partners so far: 💻 "You NEED a laptop/electronic device in today's world and it's often an out of pocket expense our kids cannot afford. This makes SUCH a difference." 💻 "These laptops are amazing and will be a HUGE asset to our kids in need!" 💻 "This generous donation of laptops will provide resources they need to establish their independence and pursue their life long goals. Thank you!" Thank you Famous Footwear & T-Mobile for empowering the futures of youth in foster care. 🩵

Last month, we got to join our friends at Famous Footwear in St. Louis to help youth in foster care get ready for the school year! The Famous team built 288 backpacks filled with school supplies & created self-care kits to help 288 local foster youth feel prepared & confident as they step into the classroom. Thank you Famous Footwear for going the extra step for foster kids. 💙

Our friends at DCA Partners held a fun team building event last week where they stuffed 144 backpacks with school supplies for foster youth! They even added handwritten notes to uplift & encourage the kids, reminding them that their community supports them as they return back to school. Thank you to the DCA team for making this day both fun & impactful! 💙

Did you know 50% of foster youth have a chronic medical issue, such as poor vision? Too often this goes untreated because the child has never had an eye exam & doesn't know how to communicate the problem. That's why we're so grateful to have partnered with the Sacramento Valley Optometric Society at their Sight & Supplies event, where they helped 24 local foster youth receive a free eye exam, eyewear & a backpack filled with school supplies. Each child was able to pick out their own glasses if needed, decorate a new backpack & water bottle, and treating themselves to some yummy treats. Once a vision impairment was identified & corrected, some children shared that they had struggled with reading because they couldn’t see properly & now they’re excited to read more. Another shared that words used to jump off the page, making schoolwork challenging. New glasses & school supplies can be life changing when it comes to boosting confidence & academic success. Thank you to the SVOS team for making this event so special & helping these kiddos start the new school year with the sight & supplies they need to thrive in the classroom! 🩵

Our friends at Mattress Firm want children in foster care to have everything they need for a successful school year. That's why they are sending 1,500 foster youth back to school this year with all the essential school supplies they need. 🎒📓✏️ Thank you, Mattress Firm! 💙

There are around 224,000 school-aged foster children who will need backpacks, pencils, notebooks & more before they enter the new school year. If your team is looking for a team-building activity that also gives back to the community, consider hosting a backpack build with us! Filling backpacks with school supplies can be a fun & impactful activity for your next conference, meeting, or team building event, helping foster children in your community get the tools they need to succeed. Email us at [email protected] to learn more & get started!

Our friends at Allworth Financial teamed up across three of their office locations to help 1,440 foster youth get back to school with everything they need! Together, they built 1,152 backpacks filled with fun goodies & supplies, & they even put together 288 personal care kits to give youth a boost of confidence for the new school year. Thank you to the Allworth team for bringing the fun energy & helping foster kids just be kids. 💙

Partnering with Famous Footwear, we're going the extra step to support & empower LGBTQIA foster youth! Together, we're addressing the unique & unmet needs of foster youth & their foster parents by: 🌈 Finding affirming foster parents, adoptive parents, & mentors 🌈 Increasing access to mental health services to heal from past traumas 🌈 Helping youth express themselves with room decor, hair care, & more essentials Thank you to everyone who rounded up their purchase in store and online at Famous Footwear to make this support possible. To learn more about how you can become an ally, visit tickettodream.org/ally 💙

This summer, Famous Footwear is creating unforgettable memories for foster youth by providing them with bikes, scooters, fun goodies, & access to summer camps! Thank you to everyone who rounded up their purchase at Famous Footwear stores & online for going the extra step for foster kids. 💙