Foster Greatness originated as a department within the social enterprise incubator, Doing Good Works, which aims to improve outcomes for young adults who experienced foster care. Focused on workforce development and coaching programs, Foster Greatness became a core aspect of Doing Good Works' social mission.
In 2022, we realized that transitioning Foster Greatness into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit would amplify our community impact. This coincided with our introduction to Export Hope, a nonprofit organization supporting volunteer travel abroad for students with foster care experience. Recognizing the transformative potential of travel, we acquired Export Hope to expedite our nonprofit transition and expand our mission. Currently, we're undergoing a legal name change from Export Hope to Foster Greatness while continuing our work with an enhanced travel program.
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Foster Greatness challenges the conventional foster care social services model by empowering young people to take charge of their own lives, instead of imposing limiting definitions of success. We believe the traditional benchmarks of success—securing any job, being part of the 4% of foster youth who graduate college, and avoiding homelessness, incarceration, or early parenthood—are unacceptably low.
Our programs, designed by and for young people with foster care experience, aim to redefine relationships and broaden life experiences. Foster Greatness has implemented a relationship-centered, technology-driven, and data-informed approach, enabling young people to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to build fulfilling lives. We also fund volunteer travel experiences for those who might otherwise miss out on such opportunities.
Our efforts are cultivating a new generation of professionals skilled in trust-based relationship principles and trauma-informed practices. These individuals are redefining social services and case management standards, empowering those affected by foster care to create a brighter future for themselves and generations to come.
