Paul and Kristina Wolford’s journey with United Friends of the Children began five years ago, when Kristina was accepted into our College Sponsorship Program and attended Azusa Pacific University. UFC’s College Sponsorship Program has been a huge blessing for me. I knew I was going to college, there was no question about it, but knowing I had a whole team of people behind me - my family, friends and UFC - to encourage me, support me and lift me up through the hard times made my life a whole lot better. The staff at UFC have been there to support me in every way possible and what I loved the most was the fact that they made me feel confident and made sure I had the tools to be successful. They encouraged my growth and development as an individual and as a
professional.
I earned my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Social Work from Azusa Pacific University, and am currently working as the Lead Group Therapist at a Mental Health Hospital in Chino. UFC has given me so many opportunities and blessings. They have invested in me. So when I get the chance, I try to give back and volunteer so other foster kids can have these great opportunities too. I began volunteering for UFC over the past year, helping with education workshops and events, sharing my experiences in foster care with other students. After my father Paul retired, he decided to join me and the UFC volunteer team to give back to the organization that provided me with the support and opportunities necessary to reach my educational dreams. Together, this father-daughter volunteer team are helping to make a real difference in
the lives of other foster youth in L.A. County.
Check out the spring issue of our newsletter! Read all about past events, what’s coming up, special projects and program highlights: http://bit.ly/19FyHNm
An inspiring menu of ways you can change the life of a young person in foster care!
May is Foster Care Awareness Month! See how you can help current and former foster youth achieve success:
Unitedfriends.org/how-to-help/circle-of-friends/circle-of-friends-form/view/form
Hi Everyone! My name is Sunnie and I’m from the UFC Scholars Class of 2009. I’m currently studying Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UC Berkeley and will be graduating in May 2014. While at school, I’ve held officer positions for many organizations such as SWE (Society of Women Engineers), AICHE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers), Sigma Kappa Sorority, Alpha Chi Sigma Professional Chemistry Fraternity, and many more. Some honors and awards include the Genentech Oustanding Student Award, Dow Two-Carat Award, Chevron Scholarship, AXS - T. Dale Stuart Scholarship, and many more. Outside of school, I’ve completed internships with Abbott Laboratories, Procter and Gamble, and multiple research facilities such as LNBL (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), JBEI (Joint BioEnergy Institute), and the Berkeley Stem Cell Center. Outside of school, I enjoy traveling, volunteering, and gymnastics.
UFC helped me pay for my education and provided a a phenomenal support group that has aided me throughout my college career. Because of the services and support UFC bestowed upon me, my university experience was less stressful and I was able to get involved with many non-work related opportunities on campus. I’m extremely grateful towards my UFC community and look forward to giving back in the near future!
—Sunnie
Ticket packages are now on sale for the Brass Ring Awards Dinner on May 29th! Discover more here a:
Unitedfriends.org/news-events/brass-ring/br-tickets
Big Sunday Service Project - May 2013
On Saturday, UFC College Readiness and Pathways youth teamed up with Big Sunday to paint murals at Toberman Park. Thanks so much to Big Sunday and to all of the volunteers for making the day such a success!
