U.S. Operations

On any given day, more than 530,000 children are in foster care in the United States. In Georgia alone, the First Lady’s Our Children Campaign has counted over 16,000 children in legal custody. Ten percent of them live in group homes; more half have been in care for longer than 16 months. The state ranks 40 out of 50 states in overall child well being and has the statutory obligation to provide them with food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. Of those in state custody, children are placed: in family foster care; with relatives or non-abusive parents; in group homes; and in child-caring institutions or hospitals. Developmental programs for these young people are loosely regulated, not measured, and generally require the bare minimum in helping children adjust to their circumstances. There are a plethora of residential facilities intended to keep Georgia’s youth off of the streets, but very few external programs designed to improve the quality of life for this targeted group of youngsters. In 2005 we implemented our programs into WestCare of GA, a residential facility that provides temporary housing for children in the custody of DFACS.

Current Programs

LLF programs will center around developing and reinforcing life skills in five targeted areas:

• Cultural Arts and Awareness
• Healthy Lifestyles
• Civic and Social Responsibility
• Financial Literacy
• Career Development

Cultural Arts and Awareness:
Creativity and innovation are essential skills for succeeding in a constantly-changing global marketplace. LLF will explore artistic expression through cross-cultural music, dance, literature, and visual arts to inspire youth to channel negative energy and experiences into positive outlets to assist with their growth and development.

Healthy Lifestyles:
Promoting healthy lifestyles – including proper nutrition and exercise, proactive conflict resolution, and effective decision-making – are integral parts of LLF’s commitment to successfully serving our youth and preparing them for adulthood. We’ll partner with health prevention organizations to encourage long-term results.

Civic and Social Responsibility:
The Foundation will break new ground in service-learning by offering unique opportunities for young people benefiting from the generosity of others to, in turn, offer the same by getting involved with their communities in a tangible way.

Financial Literacy:
The Lisa Lopes Foundation will employ the National Endowment for Financial Education’s High School Financial Planning Program® (HSFPP) to increase the financial literacy of the youth we serve. The six-unit program provides teens with a greater understanding of and ability to manage their personal finances in the areas of goal setting, budgeting, and saving. The program uses unique games, simulations, case studies, IDAs, and interactive exercises to provide hands-on experience for students to test and apply the financial principles and concepts being taught.

Career Development:
LLF’s career development program is specifically designed to help students acquire skills they’ll need to move successfully to college or a job after high school graduation; help students achieve more by linking classroom study to future choices; and introduce students to a host of underexposed career options.