Since our inception in 1995, we have grown from a small auxiliary of the County’s Independent Living Skills Program to an independent nonprofit organization serving nearly 500 youth each year.

B:E provides a range of supportive programs designed to help former foster and probation youth overcome their challenges, mitigate risks, and make healthy, successful transitions to adulthood and independent living.

Our work is supported by contracts with Alameda County Social Services Agency, corporate and foundation partners, and generous individual donors.

Our Mission

B:E’s mission is to support young people as they imagine and create their own life beyond foster care.

Our Vision

We envision a more equitable world where all young people with experience in foster care thrive as adults.

Our Values

YOUTH-CENTERED: We put youth first.

We center youth in everything we do, engaging them as leaders in our work and supporting them to create a life of their choosing.

EQUITY: We are committed to leveling the playing field.

We do our part to address inequity: being inclusive, speaking up, and providing equitable opportunities for all.

TRANSFORMATION: We are agents of change.

Our innovative coaching model empowers people to transform themselves and the community around them.

COMMUNITY: We are in this together.

We cultivate relationships and interdependence, knowing that together we can do more than we ever could alone.

CONTINUOUS LEARNING: We strive for excellence.

We are always evolving – listening, adapting, and improving – in service of youth