UpsideDown Moments

Goal: $5,000.00

Specific Need

We are raising money to implement our NEW INITIATIVE: The Next Step

Your donation will help support 25 Young adults aging out of foster care who receive a Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) voucher. These young adults are expected to select apartments, navigate landlords, budgets, inspections, and reporting requirements on their own. The Next Step bridges the gap and turns that confusion into clarity—teaching youth how to use their voucher, manage rent and utilities, communicate with landlords, report income changes, and stay in good standing, while also supporting initial upfront costs like groceries and security deposits so housing can actually work.

A firsthand account from a young adult aging out of foster care on the realities of finding stable housing:

"When I received my housing voucher, I was extremely happy. I was coming out of homelessness, and it felt like things were finally going to change. But the process that followed was incredibly hard. The application fees—$50 to $100 each—were a huge burden. I had to borrow money from friends just to apply, and because of my bad credit, I was denied multiple times. It was devastating to spend money I didn’t have, only to be told no. On top of that, the three-month deadline to use the voucher put so much pressure on me. I was constantly scared I was going to lose it before I could find a place. Thankfully, I eventually found an apartment complex willing to look past my credit and accept my voucher—but I know that kind of opportunity is rare. The voucher was supposed to be the solution, but the process made it feel like another uphill battle."

Loudoun County Department of Housing & Community Development can distrubute 25 FYI vouchers per year, that means 25 young adults will be in need of advocacy, mentoring and compassion each year.

Your Gift Today Helps Provide:

Funds For First Grocery Trip
Funds For Initial Household Essential Stocking
Application Fee Payment
Assistance With The Security Deposit
Program Coordination & Management

Total per youth: ~$2,300

Mission

UpsideDown Moments is a 501c3 nonprofit, providing charitable services, essential resources, advocacy and programs designed to empower, uplift and create brighter futures for the vulnerable population we serve: children in foster care, at-risk youth, and former fosters in Loudoun County, Virginia, and surrounding areas.

Profile

Join us in making a difference in the lives of those who need it most

Who We Support

Children in Foster Care
At-Risk/Homeless Youth
Former Foster Youth

How We Are Connected

The Department of Familly Services Case Managers
The Department of Housing & Community Development Managers
Family Liaisons Within Local Schools
Foster & Kinship Parents

How We Support

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE
- FirstNight Bags
  - Help children feel seen, valued, and supported as they adjust to their new environment. Each new duffle bag is filled with two weeks’ worth of clothing, new underwear and socks, a cozy blanket, a stuffed animal, a book, a toy, and a hygiene bag. These essentials not only provide comfort but also restore a sense of dignity and normalcy during a time of uncertainty.
- Equipment/Furniture/Baby Items
  - Any item needed by a foster families to be able to say yes to a placement.
PROGRAMS FOR TEENS/YOUNG ADULTS
- The Readiness Project
  - The Readiness Project is a 6-week training series designed to equip youth ages 14-18, in foster care and youth whose family is experiencing financial insecurities, with essential life and financial literacy skills.
- Next Step
  - 30 day program that aims to bridge the gap inbetween when an aged out youth recieves FYI voucher until move-in
- Vehicles Empowering Hope
  - VEH removes transportation barriers by supporting young adults with vehicle repairs, gas assistance, budgeting education, and, launching in 2026, a structured mentoring and matched-savings pathway toward reliable transportation and financial confidence.
PROGRAMS FOR FAMILIES
- KidzDay
  - Monthly respite event for Resource Families/Foster Parents
- Super Saturday Celebration
  - Bi-monthly Children's Parties at a local shelter
- Seasonal Blessings
  - Biannual free clothing distributions in the spring and fall, designed to ensure children in care and at-risk youth have access to season-appropriate essentials. Volunteer-led packing and distribution efforts facilitate these events
- B2S Boutique
  - Backpacks, supplies and more
- Holiday Gifts for Youth
- Birthday Gifts and Cake for youth in foster care

UpsideDown Moments ensures children and young adults impacted by foster care and financial instability have their basic needs met with dignity. When life is turned upside down, we step in to restore stability, confidence, and hope for a stronger future.

In 2025, we were able to almost triple the number of youth and young adults we assisted. To see more details on the differences we were able to make this past year check out our Annual Impact Report.