Our Remarkable Story
Started in 2011 out of a heart to provide hope & a positive future for our under-served youth in the Greater Sacramento area.
Scott and Jacquie Flanagan became aware of the challenges aged-out foster youth face when they were newlyweds and youth leaders in the Bay Area. Discovering that one of their youth, Marvin, was going to be homeless two weeks after his 18th birthday, they stepped into action. Their search did not produce results, so they invited him to live in their one-bedroom apartment. For the next five months, they helped Marvin become independent by helping him find a job and transportation while mentoring him in basic life skills and how to be a reliable employee. After clearing his three-month probation at his first job, they helped Marvin find a place to rent and manage a household budget. This experience planted the seeds for the work that would be started 22 years later. Compassion Planet began in 2013 due to the shared dream of the Flanagan’s and Todd and Luann Johnson.
Today this dream is impacting the lives of underserved youth in Placer and Sacramento Counties. Together, with sustainable non-profit businesses along with the generous support of our community, Compassion Planet brings two groups of youth, called trainees, into their program twice a year. Comprised of aged-out foster youth and youth from at-risk backgrounds (ages 18-24) these groups are empowered by 1,200 hours of on-the-job training, therapy and life skills training before graduating into CP’s Next Steps programs. Their stories and journeys are incredible and Compassion Planet is privileged to be a part of their family!
media & news
The Issue
Every 2 minutes, a child enters the U.S. Foster Care System. At 18, they age out of foster care & become one of the most at-risk people groups in the United States.
Before turning 18, foster youth will change homes 3 or more times
60% of trafficking victims come from foster care
Nearly 40% go homeless upon aging-out of the system
1 in 4 will be imprisoned within 2 years of aging-out
Less than 50% graduate from high school
Less than 3% graduate from college
70% are pregnant by 21 & 50% repeat the cycle of brokenness
Nearly 70% of California’s prison population were in the foster care system
Our Mission
We empower aged-out foster youth and youth from at-risk backgrounds to overcome personal obstacles, achieve independence and reach their fullest potential Through our 2-Step Mentoring Program:
Trainee Program
Year-long intensive 1200 hours of training & mentoring with job skills, coping skills, life skills and education support.
Next Step Program
Upon graduation, our trainees enter into our Next Step Program which provides lifelong services.
Our Leadership & Staff
Our Board
Our 2021 Compassion Planet
Partners
Thank you to our partners who empower lives in our community with their generosity!
As a Business & Community Partner, your investment in Compassion Planet is an investment in our community. More specifically, your gift will help fund our one-year Trainee Program which provides over 1200 hours of services to aged-out foster youth which includes: life skills training, employment, group and individual counseling, job training, leadership skills, and dozens of person-centered learning opportunities in a family-like setting.
2021 Business Partners:
2021 Community Partners:
Financials
When you give to Compassion Planet, 80.7% of our total revenue goes directly to our Mentoring Programs, 6.1% goes to fundraising, and 13.2% goes toward management and administrative expenses.