Run to Support RTS Scholars in the LA Marathon Next Spring!
Run to Support RTS Scholars in the LA Marathon Next Spring! RTS Alumna Julia R. Running in Support of RTS Scholars at the Ironman Race. There are many ways generous supporters like you could have an impact on the lives of RTS Scholars. This year, the McCourt Foundation, the foundation behind the LA Marathon, has selected Ready to Succeed as an official partner organization. This means that participants at the LA Marathon and Charity Half Marathon on Sunday, March 19, 2023 can fundraise in honor of RTS Scholars! Earlier this year, RTS alumna Julia R. ran in [...]
Event Recap: RTS Open House
Event Recap: RTS Open House Supporters like you ensure that Ready to Succeed Scholars have the resources, opportunities, and relationships that they need to thrive. For foster youth and first-gen Scholars, building relationships is a crucial part of building a network that could unlock the opportunities of their dreams. Last month, RTS Scholars got the chance to connect with dedicated volunteers Howard Spector and Deborah Brazil over coffee and donuts at El Granjero Cantina. After two years of virtual networking events, RTS Scholars were finally able to put their networking skills to the test in person! The beginning of [...]
Project Dorm Room at UCLA
Project Dorm Room at UCLA As part of our 2022 summer and fall Project Dorm Room program, we partnered with UCLA Bruin Guardian Scholars to distribute dorm room essentials and gift cards for college students impacted by foster care. These materials came directly from donations from supporters like you. You and 183 other generous supporters helped us raise $102,934 and ensured that 240 college students impacted by foster care had all of the dorm room essentials that they needed! Here are what some Project Dorm Room recipients had to say about what they received: “I signed up for extended [...]
Participating in the LA Marathon? Run to Support RTS Scholars!
Participating in the LA Marathon? Run to Support RTS Scholars! Every year, kind-hearted LA Marathon runners use their participation in the marathon as an opportunity to fundraise for their favorite causes. This year the McCourt Foundation, the foundation behind the LA Marathon, has selected Ready to Succeed as an official partner organization. This means that participants at the LA Marathon and Charity Half Marathon on Sunday, March 19, 2023 can fundraise in honor of RTS Scholars! All running levels are welcome. If you want your marathon or half-marathon run to ensure that foster youth and first generation college [...]
Meet Natalie, RTS Alumna and New Board Member
Meet Natalie, RTS Alumna and New Board Member Please join us in welcoming Natalie Catalan, Vice President of Business Development and Client Management at Canyon Partners, to the board of directors! Natalie was one of the first Ready to Succeed Scholars and is now dedicated to giving back to an organization that has fostered her success. This month, we sat down with Natalie for a quick Q & A session to learn more about her journey from RTS Scholar to RTS board member. What are some of your favorite hobbies? There is so much to do in LA [...]
Celebrating the Pat McCabe Summer of Service Scholars
Celebrating the Pat McCabe Summer of Service Scholars Every summer, RTS Scholars interested in working for nonprofits, foundations, and social service based organizations participate in the Pat McCabe Summer of Service Fellowship program. This program matches Scholars with top Los Angeles area nonprofits and places them in paid internships for the summer. Through their internships RTS Scholars develop their professional skill set and contribute to the missions of these organizations. This year's Pat McCabe Summer of Service Fellowship cohort put their skills to the test in a pitch contest judged by their host site supervisors. At this [...]
Justin’s Project Dorm Room Story
Justin's Project Dorm Room Story “When you go to college you usually have your parents help you move in. When you are a past foster youth, your foster parents aren’t doing that. You really start to feel alone and it’s a really depressing feeling. Project Dorm Room lifted a big financial burden because I was able to access Project Dorm Room for all three years I was at UCLA. These types of programs are really big for the development and the support of former foster youth and their success.” This year, you can lift the financial burden [...]
Meet Eddie, TikToker Extraordinaire and New Board Member
Meet Eddie, TikToker Extraordinaire and New Board Member Please join us in welcoming Eddie Valcin, Public Figures and Content Partnership Lead at TikTok, to the board of directors! As a Miami native and Southern California transplant, Eddie makes a big impact wherever he goes. Eddie Valcin oversees public figures and content partnerships at Tik Tok. This month, we sat down with Eddie for a quick Q & A session to give you the inside scoop on our remarkable new leader and board member. What are some of your favorite hobbies? I’ve been on a big fitness kick and [...]
Can Summer Camp Make You Ready for a Job? Our Scholars Say Yes!
Can Summer Camp Make You Ready for a Job? Our Scholars Say Yes! For the past six weeks Scholars have been working hard by creating resumes from scratch, attending workshops day and night, crafting their elevator pitches, and honing their networking skills. They have been participating in Camp Ready: a summer boot camp designed to make sure that foster youth and first-generation college students Scholars have a career toolkit ready to launch themselves into new opportunities. Thanks to your support, 81 scholars were able to attend and now have the career readiness resources they need! Last week, RTS [...]
In Holdyn’s Words: Project Dorm Room Was a Great Way to Start Off the School Year!
In Holdyn's Words: Project Dorm Room Was a Great Way to Start Off the School Year! “When I was growing up, I didn’t have the stable resources I needed - not even a bed. So when I got into UCLA, Project Dorm Room was the best way to start off the school year! Project Dorm Room was so well thought out. I didn’t have to worry about forgetting anything. They gave us anything we might need. It made me feel so valued and appreciated to have something that I would never be able to get on my [...]
Watch the RTS Graduation Celebration Recap Video!
Watch the RTS Graduation Celebration Recap Video! The annual Graduation Celebration breakfast was a celebration of heroes: our students who put in long hours, hard work, and lots of persistence to get here. It was a chance to honor RTS 22’ graduates, alumni, and generous supporters like you who make these moments possible. We laughed, we cried, and we took amazing photos by the step and repeat! Please check out this short montage of the event here: To watch full speeches from distinguished speaker Jarl Mohn, RTS Alumna and board member Natalie Catalan, RTS graduating [...]
Check Out These Speeches From the Annual Graduation Celebration
Check Out These Speeches From the Annual Graduation Celebration On Wednesday, June 15 a small group of supporters joined students from the RTS ‘22 graduating class to celebrate our foster youth graduates! Guests included Jarl Mohn, President Emeritus of NPR, Reeves G., an RTS 22’ graduate, Natalie Catalan, an RTS alumna and an incoming RTS board member, and Emmanual Benton, an RTS board member. Here are the full speeches from our speakers: Natalie Catalan Reeves G. Jarl Mohn Emmanual (Manny) Benton To watch a recap video of the [...]
Watch Us On KTLA!
Watch Us On KTLA! Ready to Succeed (RTS) was in the news thanks to you! Pat McCabe, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of RTS and RTS 22' graduate Reeves G. were interviewed by KTLA last Saturday morning to shed light on the experiences of foster youth in Los Angeles County and how RTS is stepping up to help. In the interview, Reeves mentions that he wants other foster youth to know that "the world is so big and there are so many kinds of people out there. Keep going until you find people that will advocate for you." [...]
It’s Time to Celebrate! Summer Job + Internship Placements
It's Time to Celebrate! Summer Job + Internship Placements RTS Scholars have been working hard to secure summer internship and entry-level job opportunities since last fall. Their hard work and dedication is finally paying off and they are ready to begin a new phase on their career journeys. These placements would not be possible without the help of volunteers and supporters like you! Join us in celebrating these amazing Scholars: Ariel S., People Assisting the Homeless (PATH) | Program Associate Tamar S., Outfront Media | Summer Intern Christopher J., Amazon | Summer internship Edgar L., Facebook | [...]
