It Takes an (Online) Village

Longtime foster child advocate and former Apple engineer Jay MacIntosh ’86 saw firsthand how kids aging out of the child welfare system weren’t getting the support they need. So he decided to rally adults, corporations, and government agencies to help fill those needs through mentorships and other support for former foster kids by launching The Village. The online nonprofit uses an algorithm to pair foster youth with local volunteers based on interests and experiences. Uniquely, The Village has no time requirement, so volunteers can feel more able to help kids make the the transition to adulthood whenever they can. Currently, the program is seeking to sign up 1,000 people in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.