FAF Board of Directors

Jerry Kennedy FAF Founder		Tara Beckman FAF Board of Directors
Hamu Yaropa FAF Secretary		Bryan Dyer FAF Trustee

Jerry Kennedy, Founder of Fosters Assisting Fosters

My name is Jerry Kennedy and I am a former foster youth and emancipated minor. I have been in thirteen different foster homes throughout my time in care. I have gone on to be a successful musician and I'm looking to give back to other foster youth. I'm frustrated with the staggering statistics of negative outcomes for former foster youth. Experts say that, "The next big wave of homeless people in America will be foster kids" and from New York to the Bay Area cities and counties are trying to get ready for it.

Foster care was a difficult transition for me due to my strong independence. I was used to being on my own. The traditional family structure was a foreign concept to me. I was a very motivated and independent young man. Eventually my social worker decided that he would try to get me into a group home that would eventually lead me to becoming an emancipated minor. The program was called "Living Workshop" and I learned basic life skills, which included cooking, cleaning, shopping, organization and bill paying.

I was also required to attend daily group meetings and counseling and a one-on-one weekly counseling session, which eventually led to my becoming an emancipated minor at 15 1/2. I became an assistant counselor at the program and helped other youth with some of the day to day struggles that I went through. This type of integration of graduates returning to the program as assistant counselors was extremely empowering.

Since then I have gone on to be a positive part of my own community. I have a desire to bridge that gap between current and post-emancipated youth. I once heard someone say, "Foster kids are the forgotten ones." I want to be a part of turning that around. Recruit an adult connecter for every mentor (an adult in the community over the age of 30yrs the mentors can reach out to) and discuss life issues.

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Tara Beckman, Board of Directors

Tara Beckman, Deputy Director, joined the CASA staff in March 2004. Tara coordinated the Group Homes Pilot Project, which was created to address the needs of older youth, with an emphasis on supporting emancipating youth. The project is also the first CASA program in the nation to provide post-emancipation support to youth who have been dismissed from the foster care system.

Prior to working at CASA, Tara worked with severely emotionally disturbed children and their families at Seneca Center as a Therapeutic Behavioral Specialist. In addition to Tara's staff position with CASA, she also volunteers for the organisation and has advocated for a youth for three years.

Tara has a deep understanding of the foster care system, as she herself was in the system for eight years. This life experience is a strong, motivating factor to give back to children by providing them with advocacy and resources to support them while they are dependents in the foster care system.

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Kynthea M Thea, Treasurer

biography coming soon

Hamu Yaropa, FAF Secretary

biography coming soon

Bryan Dyer - FAF Trustee

biography coming soon

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