More than 56,000 young Californians can claim $3,000 from a state program launched in May. Many eligible youth may not know the money exists.
The Hope, Opportunity, Perseverance and Empowerment (HOPE) for Children program deposits $3,000 into interest-bearing trust accounts for two groups: longtime foster youth and low-income children who lost a parent to COVID-19 during the pandemic. The program is run by the California State Treasurer's Office. EdSource reported on the program's early progress Sept. 17.
As of that date, 2,243 applications had been submitted, more than 650 young people had been approved and more than $200,000 had been distributed.
The catch: the money is not automatic. Eligible youth must apply through the program's website at hopeaccount.ca.gov. Getting the word out has been one of the program's biggest challenges, according to acting executive director Cassandra DiBenedetto.
"It does make you feel seen — makes you not feel as alone," Izel Casillas, a 19-year-old University of California, Davis sophomore and HOPE recipient who spent years in foster care, told EdSource.
Who qualifies
Foster youth who spent more than 18 months in care, whether consecutive or not, or whose family reunification services were terminated are eligible. So are low-income youth who lost a parent to COVID-19 contracted during the pandemic. Applicants must have been under 18 on Sept. 27, 2022, when the law was enacted.
Youth who already meet the criteria but have not yet turned 18 can still apply and open an account. Recipients can access the funds between ages 18 and 26. The money is unrestricted. Unlike many aid programs, it is not limited to college tuition, job training or housing. Recipients also get access to financial education and free confidential financial planning.
Outreach and local context
The California Department of Social Services sent notices to all counties so social workers would know about the program. HOPE staff have promoted the accounts at foster youth resource fairs, through webinars with court-appointed advocates and in conversations with dependency attorneys.
AJ Johnson of John Burton Advocates for Youth described the stakes for young people aging out of the system without support, telling EdSource the transition often means debt, homelessness or pausing school to work.
Ventura County has its own track record of investing in former foster youth. The county's Human Services Agency launched a separate guaranteed income pilot in October 2023, providing 150 former foster youth $1,000 per month for 18 months, according to state legislative records. That program is distinct from HOPE.
Funding and how to apply
The Legislature originally set aside $100 million for HOPE during a budget-surplus year. Last year, the governor reallocated $40 million of that to help close the state's budget gap, EdSource reported.
Eligible youth can apply at any time at hopeaccount.ca.gov. The application is online, and the program has approved applicants within about 90 days. After approval, disbursement takes roughly 30 additional days.
