General Information
- Volunteer Opportunities / Responsibilities: Family & Youth Initiative volunteers build deep, lasting relationships with teens in foster care and youth who have aged out of care. Because youth have experienced so much instability in adult relationships, we ask program volunteers for long-term, consistent commitments. Volunteers make a huge impact on young people's lives and gain a community and their own connections as well! Other volunteer opportunities include working behind the scenes to help DCFYI thrive as an organization.
Potential roles include:
Mentors - who commit at least eight hours a month for two years, building a deeper relationship and becoming a critical person in a teen’s life
Host families - have a teen spend a series of weekends with them; help the teen connect with more people as they work toward finding an adoptive family
Adoption – thinking about adoption? Come to DCFYI events to meet teens looking for adoptive families
Open Table - a group of volunteers support one young adult to help them reach goals they set for themselves. Open Table volunteers commit to an hour virtually weekly for a year (and some in-person time).
Organize a weekend program event, where DCFYI teens and adults can get to know each other in a fun and welcoming environment
Join a committee: fundraising, communications, finance, Establishing Roots (our fall fundraiser) - Types of Volunteers Needed: individual/adult; adult groups of less than 5; adult groups of 6 or more, including corporate teams
- Hours Needed: daytime on the weekend
Events seeking volunteers
Establishing Roots
Establishing Roots is Family & Youth Initiative's annual fundraiser. It’s a fun and casual event with enough food and drink to make dinner, good conversations as supporters and donors connect with each other and with DCFYI participants. We have a silent auction and a short program, the highlight of which is hearing from a young person about how their life has been changed by the adults they met through DCFYI. DCFYI creates a supportive community and lasting relationships for teens and young adults who are in or have “aged out” of foster care. Proceeds raised at Establishing Roots help us to connect more teens in foster care with adults who will stay in their lives.
- When: Wednesday, October 7, 2026 (6:30 PM - 8:30 PM)
- Where: Eastern Market, 225 7th Street, SE, Washington, DC 20003 map
- Volunteer Info: We welcome volunteers to join us to help plan the event and/or the day of: Help set up the event or break down the space; Pick up food from a donating restaurant and bring it to the event; Serve food; Help with check in or check out; Help with auction table organization & bringing items to check out; Join the Establishing Roots organizing committee.
- Contact: Shea Friedland, (202) 863-0975 ext 1
- For more information: click here