FOSTER FORWARD FITNESS - THE OLYMPIAN’S WAY Healing the Heart. Strengthening the Body. Empowering the Future.

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

Central LA South LA East LA West LA South Bay San Gabriel Valley San Fernando Valley Gateway Cities Long Beach Antelope Valley

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Foster and transition-age youth often experience complex trauma, instability, and emotional disconnection, resulting in lasting impacts on mental and physical health, self-worth, and resilience. Many age out of systems without consistent support or safe, affirming communities. Existing wellness programs rarely address the unique needs of foster youth, especially the integration of trauma-informed care, emotional literacy, and community-building alongside physical movement. Foster Forward Fitness addresses this gap by providing a safe, consistent space for youth to release trauma, build confidence, and reconnect with their inner strength—mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Foster Forward Fitness is a free, weekly wellness program for foster and transition-age youth (ages 14–24) in South LA, Boyle Heights, Compton, and East LA. Each session begins with a guided healing circle focused on emotional literacy and safe expression, followed by a trauma-informed fitness experience—such as yoga, dance cardio, or strength-based workouts—designed to release stress, build confidence, and promote holistic well-being. Facilitators are trained in both youth development and trauma-informed care, ensuring participants are seen, heard, and supported. The program integrates the 10P Emotional Literacy model, providing personalized workbooks, reflection journals, and tools for emotional growth. Youth receive care packages, healthy snacks, and transportation support to reduce barriers. By fostering consistency, connection, and self-leadership, Foster Forward Fitness empowers young people to reclaim their bodies, voices, and futures, while building a supportive peer community. The program is designed to be scalable and replicable across LA County.

If Foster Forward Fitness is successful, more foster and transition-age youth in LA County will feel empowered, emotionally resilient, and physically strong. They will gain lifelong coping tools, improved self-esteem, and a sense of belonging. This program will help shift cycles of trauma into cycles of empowerment, supporting higher graduation and employment rates, healthier relationships, and greater community contribution. The foster care ecosystem will be strengthened by consistent, affirming spaces for healing and growth, planting seeds of wellness that ripple out into schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. The model can be scaled to serve more youth countywide.