First Place has worked in Santa Clara County since 2015 to offer the My First Place Program to foster youth aging out of care. Silicon Valley may have a rich reputation for wealth and employment opportunities, but its high cost of housing makes homelessness one of its most difficult issues. Young adults exiting foster care face some of the steepest barriers to gaining the skills and education necessary to advance in the technology-fueled valley. 

Our young adults live in apartments from Gilroy to Mountain View and about 84% are Black, Indigenous and people of color.  A majority are female and 15% are parenting youth. Just over half say they are straight and the rest are either bisexual, questioning or prefer not to state their sexual orientation.