Camellia Network

Two friends. One simple mission.

Camellia Network is the combined vision of brand strategist Isis Dallis Keigwin and best-selling Author and foster mother Vanessa Diffenbaugh. The mission of Camellia Network is to activate networks of citizens in every community to provide the critical support young people need to transition from foster care to adulthood.

What’s the problem?

Each year, more than 20,000 youth age out of the foster care system in this country. Many are forced to leave the system on their eighteenth birthday with absolutely nowhere to go. For those lacking family of community support, the personal and societal outcomes for former foster youth can be tragic. Each year thousands face isolation, homelessness, unemployment, incarceration, and exploitation as they struggle to make their way into adulthood.

+ 25% become homeless within the first two years
+ 25% become incarcerated
+ Within 4 years, 60% have had children, and those children are twice as likely to be placed in foster care. The cycle continues.

It’s time to change our mindset.

For decades we have relied solely upon the government to enact changes needed to help former foster youth access the support they need to transition into adulthood. We believe it is time for everyday citizens to take shared responsibility for foster youth; to stop referring to youth in foster care as “those kids” and start thinking of them as “our kids”; to stop waiting for the “system” to take care of the problem and to start working together as citizens to create the change we want to see.

A Unique Opportunity.

It will take thousands of citizens to step forward to accomplish our ambitious goal: to provide a network of support for every young person leaving the foster care system every year. We are in a unique position to illuminate this issue through a new novel, The Language of Flowers, written by foster mother Vanessa Diffenbaugh. The novel, which was released by Ballantine on August 23rd, 2011 and has already sold in 31 translations, chronicles the experience of a young woman growing up in the foster care system and the difficulties she experiences upon emancipation. Leveraging the success of the novel as a jumping off point to ignite a national conversation, we are in the unique position of inspiring millions of people to get involved.

How does it work?

Profiles: Camellia Network allows young people emancipation from foster care all over the country to create online profiles highlighting who they are, where they have been, what goals they have for the future, ad what they need to be successful. Then citizen donors have the opportunity to purchase items from their registries that will directly impact a youth and fulfill an immediate material need that otherwise would not be filled. Citizens can donate five dollars or five thousand dollars-every dollar goes directly toward purchasing supplies and equipment that a youth needs to successfully transition into adulthood.

Community Building: Through our website, donors can stay connected not only to the youth, but to the entire network of individuals supporting the youth-communities can support each other in the belief that together, we can change outcomes for kids in foster care.

Beyond Material Support:  Basic material needs can be the simple difference between being prepared for school (for example) or being unprepared, discouraged, and dropping out; we also know that material needs are just one part of the equation. The long-term vision for Camellia Network is to use the power of social networks to create a community who will offer career and mentoring opportunities, long-term support and encouragement to young people as they transition into adulthood.

Power of Social Media: For the first time in history, technology enables us to make meaningful connections in ways we never imagined possible. We have the ability to bring together those who need support and those who have it to five without the logistical, geographic and socio-economic boundaries that existed before. We believe our model has the power to not only change outcomes for youth leaving foster care but also the way we think about our relationship to each other as citizens of one society.

Why Camellia?

In the Victorian-era Language of Flowers, Camellia {kuh-meel-yuh} means My Destiny is in Your Hands. We have named Camellia Network to emphasize our belief in the interconnectedness of humanity, a reminder that the destiny of our nation lies in the hands of our youngest citizens.

For More Information Contact:
Isis Keigwin
Cofounder + CEO
E: isis@camellianetwork.org
O: 916.242.8266
W: www.camellianetwork.org
T: @CamelliaNetwork
F: facebook.com/CamelliaNetwork