Thank you to Greg Heinley and the team at ScanSource for providing us with a check for our Holiday Party and Gift Drive.  We appreciate your generosity this Holiday season! 

Spending this weekend getting some holiday shopping done? Want to shop local and support RJLF at the same time? 

Puzzle for Good creates these beautiful puzzles that support great artists while giving back to local non-profits!  Check out the link below for our fundraiser.  

https://www.puzzleforgood.com/fund-5-1

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​Last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced a new program on which we will be keeping an eye.
 
Each year, more than 20,000 young people age out of foster care. According to HUD, “approximately 25 percent of these young people experience homelessness within four years of leaving foster care and an even higher share are precariously housed.”
 
To address this, HUD is creating the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Initiative, which will “housing vouchers to local public housing authorities to prevent or end homelessness among young adults under the age of 25 who are, or have recently left, the foster care system without a home to go to. Read HUD's notice.”

Our third annual Celebrity Bartending Night will be held at Chambers Bistro & Bar in Doylestown on May 15, from 5:30PM to 8:30PM!

This year, we will be joined by Bucks County Commissioner Charles Martin, District Attorney Matt Weintraub, Jennifer Eckfield of the Learning Experience in Doylestown, former Pennsylvania House of Representatives member Marguerite Quinn, and Bucks County Clerk of Courts Mary Smithson!
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Like last year, 20% of food and drink sales will go towards supporting RJLF's important work.

There are no tickets and there's room for everyone, but to help us begin to get an accurate headcount, email info@rjleonardfoundation.org if you're interested in attending.

This event is a great opportunity to raise awareness about the work RJLF is doing, so please pass on this invitation to your friends, family members, and coworkers.

While visitors under 21 cannot enter the bar area, Chambers has a dining room, which means that RJLF supporters of all ages will able to come out and support our work!

Joseph* spent most of his early life in and out of different group homes. After graduating from high school, his goal was to find employment and pay his bills, determined to be independent. He did not think he would be capable of success in college, believing he was not “school material.”

While working as a contract maintenance worker, Joseph was referred to RJLF. With assistance from his RJLF Mentor, he secured full time employment in an office as an accountant specialist, and began taking classes at a community college. “My Mentor is awesome. It’s nice to know you always have someone that will be there for you. Having his listening ear and encouragement has been so great.”
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We are proud to share that Joseph will soon have his associate's degree, and will be pursuing a career in social work. Joseph also changed jobs recently, in order to do something more related to his interests and goals. He is now working as a Peer Mentor, as part of a family support team. As a Peer Mentor, Joseph, is working directly with young people and mentoring them while they work on their individual and family goals. RJLF is providing college and career navigation support.

Joseph is a hard working, amazing young man with a goal to pay it forward. While working toward his education and career goals, Joseph volunteers at RJLF events, always thinking of how he can help others as he feels others have helped him. “RJLF has impacted my life in a very positive way. It has helped me realize that I can be as successful as I want through hard work. Also it has inspired me to give back due to how much they give.”

* Names and identifying information have been changed to protect the confidentiality and safety of Fellows involved in the R.J. Leonard Foundation's programming.