Children of the Night is an organization like no other. Established in 1979 by Lois Lee, Children of the Night was created to provide intervention, case management and resources for children who are sexually exploited and as a result involved in various forms of prostitution and pornography. Children of the Night has solidified its place as one of the most successful organizations tackling the specific needs of sex-trafficked youth as they have maintained a 70% – 80% success rate. Children of the Night is also responsible for putting hundreds of their program participants through college and other forms of continued education.  

The fight for victims of sex trafficking continues to the present day and L.L. Foundation for Youth was proud to contribute to this mission. Children of the Night works hard to help victims reimagine their lives and regain a sense of normalcy. L.L. Foundation for Youth was able to fund additional case management services. Cases managers here provide around the clock services that help victims get access to medical help, medication, and other social service benefits as well as access to mental health care to help with extensive trauma. Having this level of support is crucial to a brighter future for sex trafficking victims.  

In addition to case management, youth involved with Children of the Night are given opportunities to continue, finish, and extend their education through various tutoring programs we were able to support with. Children of the Night residents were required to attend schooling through the week and got to participate in various activities. At the end of those weeks, students got to participate in fun activities like visiting amusement parks and the beach. Children of the Night provides the educational foundations needed for its participants to get high school diplomas and go on to begin college, vocational schooling and many other forms of higher education. With education being a major piece of rehabilitation for these youth, Children of the Night has created global tutoring programs for victims across the world. 

L.L. Foundation for Youth commends Children of the Night and is proud to support them in their goal of rescuing sex trafficked children.  

Deep Springs College is a unique place for higher learning that grounds itself on the values of academia, self-governance, and manual labor. They commit to covering full tuition, room and board for their students. The college is located on an isolated cattle ranch in Deep Springs Valley and was created with the intention of preparing young people for a life of service to humanity. The unique curriculum challenges students to take responsibility for themselves and their communities. Deep Springs College alumni have gone on to be Rhode Scholars, politicians and have served in a variety of other high-impact careers. 

L.L. Foundation for youth was greatly inspired by this model. After discussions with Deep Springs, we made the first gift to the Endowment of and a multi-year program commitment to the Summer Session. The summer session is the cornerstone of Deep Springs Curriculum and is attended by all students. This was so critical because the summer semester is where students get their first academic experiences at Deep Springs.  

Despite being in a league of their own in the world of higher education, the challenges they face are not completely different from traditional colleges. The challenges they experienced ranged from managing COVID cases on campus and maintaining staff and faculty positions. Deep Springs views these obstacles in alignment of their core value of students exercising problem-solving capabilities. The curriculum at Deep Springs invites students to be self-reliant in ways that will serve them in the future.  

L.L. Foundation for Youth has committed to multi-year support of Deep Springs College. Deep Springs often finds support and funding from generous alumni and friends that believe in their mission but this partnership with L.L. Foundation for Youth has exposed them to the other funding possibilities that exist to support them in their work.  

City of Hope is an organization dedicated to the research and development of life-changing treatments for cancer. They strive to transform the future of cancer care and work diligently to not only support patients through treatment but also their caregivers and family members. City of Hope combines cutting-edge research, compassion, and innovation to create hopeful realities for all impacted. While the City of Hope exists in several locations across the United States, L.L. Foundation for Youth had the opportunity to directly support the team located in Southern California.  

Statistics show that one out of every 20 new cancer diagnoses are found in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) between the ages of 15 and 39. Emerging adulthood is a time often marked by exciting life transitions that a cancer diagnosis can derail. AYA cancer patients are faced with emotional challenges associated with not being able to participate in the major coming of age milestones and no longer feeling a sense of control over their lives. City of Hope helps to support youth experiencing these challenges through their AYA Patient Navigator Program. This program creates a safe space for youth to overcome barriers related to their diagnosis and aims to increase their quality of life. This program provides a strong foundation for AYAs with a cancer diagnosis to become active participants in their journey.  

L.L. Foundation for Youth has been integral to the support of hiring new AYA navigators who are responsible for supporting youth through this unique journey. This role will be responsible for connecting patients to support services and continuing to build out the core of this program. The Patient Navigator Program aims to enroll 50 AYAs impacted by their cancer diagnosis.  

In addition to the ongoing work to build out a strong infrastructure for the AYA Patient Navigator program, the City of Hope received public recognition for their research efforts. Dr. Saro Armenian was awarded the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) Frank Oski Lectureship which recognizes exceptional investigators in pediatric hematology and oncology. In May of 2023 he will have an opportunity to give a lecture at the annual ASPHO meeting in May 2023, where the innovative work supported by the L.L. Foundation for Youth, including the AYA Patient Navigator Program will be mentioned.  

We at L.L. Foundation for Youth are so honored to participate in these life-changing opportunities for cancer patients.