This June, 16 intrepid climbers will brave Mt. Shasta for the Seventh Annual Foster Youth Questival, a mountaineering adventure for former foster youth and adult supporters to advocate with their feet, overcome the obstacle of the mountain rising in front of them, and to support the improvement of the foster care system. 

There are approximately 12 million Americans who have experienced foster care in America, with over 430,000 children in the system today. While the story we so often hear is laced with the hardship these children and adults have to endure, there is another -- wholly different – story: one etched in resilience and strength.

All donations made to this program support the costs of the trip, training and gearing up youth for wilderness and mountaineering components of Questival, and FMC's Youth Voice program in general, which trains young people to write about their experiences as part of the media dialogue around foster care. 

Fostering Media Connections (FMC) is a non-profit organization that harnesses the power of journalism and media to improve the lives of vulnerable children and youth. Learn more about who we are and see our work here:

For the past six years FMC has hosted the Foster Youth Questival as a way to not only empower youth but raise awareness about the child welfare system and the families affected by it. Please support our work as we lead a group of transition-age foster youth and adult supporters up 14,179-foot Mt. Shasta.