New York City boosts funding for foster youth mentorship program 

Fair Futures will receive $20 million for this fiscal year and baselined funding for the future. 

Kay Dervishi, NYNMEDIA -New York City’s recently passed budget includes increased funding for a mentorship program for foster youth, with $20 million allocated for this fiscal year and $12 million to continue funding it in subsequent years. 

The Fair Futures initiative, which provides life coaches to support foster youth, launched in 2019 with $10 million in funding. The program was nearly dropped last year as a result of budget constraints brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic before being allocated $2.7 million in the budget, though the city Administration for Children’s Services managed to find about $9 million to keep it afloat.