Fostering Hope RVA

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Behind Every Organization, There Is a Story.

Discover the heart, history, and mission behind Fostering Hope RVA — and the founder whose personal journey sparked a movement.

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Our Mission

To equip, empower, and elevate youth ages 16–24 years old that are facing "aging out and/or have aged out" of the foster care system. Fostering Hope aligns resources and opportunities necessary to transition into healthy and productive adulthood.

A Second Chance That Changed Everything

Christi Durham, Founder of Fostering Hope RVA
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Christi Durham Founder & President

"Our organization will empower foster youth with the tools necessary for a brighter & rewarding future."

— Christi Durham, Founder/President

Given a Second Chance

Fostering Hope founder, Christi Durham, was fortunate to be given a second chance at life through the gift of adoption. She lost both of her "gifted" parents tragically — her gifted mom passed in 1995 to a brain aneurysm when Christi was only 20 years old. Eight years later she lost her dad to a tragic fall. Left with no parents, and no siblings, she often was subjected to a feeling of being "lost."

Finding Her Roots

After spending most of her adult life searching for her biological parents, she was finally able to locate both of them. She located her mother in 2015 through a social services search and she found her dad in 2019 through the help of a search angel.

After locating both of them as well as discovering she inherited two beautiful and talented sisters, Christi still felt that something was missing from her life. The sense of emptiness was still there as well as the longing to belong to a family still remained. Her adopted parents provided the love and the sense of security that she needed and that was taken away at an early age.

The Spark of a Movement

Christi stated, "I imagined if she was never adopted, how much worse it could have been."

Finally in the midst of a global pandemic, Christi decided she wanted to use her extensive property management experience, event planning, and passion for helping others to create an organization for foster youth facing aging out of the system — something near and dear to her heart.

Support Her Mission See Our Programs
"Our goal is to be a voice for foster youth that transition into adulthood without solid family structure and support. Because adulthood shouldn't start with uncertainty."
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Yvonne Marbury Vice President, Fostering Hope RVA

Our Core Values

Everything we do flows from these three commitments — to the young people we serve, the community that supports us, and the future we're building together.

01

Equip

We provide the practical tools, workshops, and resources that youth need to navigate adulthood — from financial literacy to job readiness — because knowledge is power.

02

Empower

We build confidence and self-sufficiency through mentorship, community, and programs designed to help young people believe in their own capacity to thrive.

03

Elevate

We open doors — to opportunity, to networks, to futures that might otherwise feel out of reach — because every young person deserves a chance to rise.

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Children in VA Foster Care

— dss.virginia.gov
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Founded in Richmond, VA

— Fostering Hope RVA
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Community Funded

— Nonprofit Organization
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–24

Age Group We Serve

— Statewide Reach
Be Part of the Story

Every Young Person Deserves a Chance

Whether you donate, volunteer, or spread the word — you become part of a community that refuses to let foster youth face adulthood alone.