Our story
On Deck Foundation
In 2001, while working within the LA County Foster System, founding members of the On Deck Foundation or ODF saw a huge need in LA County to help provide Foster and Adopted youth with more resources. To help fill the gaps, the On Deck Foundation was formed in November of 2002. Since then the same needs have reached our communities.
Over the years, ODF has provided programming and support throughout LA and San Bernardino Counties. We have successfully ran our Phase Training program in foster care facilities, group homes, juvenile halls and our community facilities in Claremont, CA and Laguna Hills, CA. ODF has also housed emancipated youth and connected them to local junior college, trade and vocational programming.
With founding members coming from the athletic world, that is where we started. Very quickly we realized that help in the academic and arts was equally important and needed. One youth at a time, ODF created contacts in very specific areas as our youth learned of their gifts and interests. With help from our community leaders, we now have Advisory Board members from all aspects of the professional world creating opportunities previously not available. We have business and educational professionals, musicians, auto sport pros, pro athletes and the list goes on.
We are excited to expand to areas of need and share our resources. We are happy to announce that as of September of 2021, ODF has started to partner with similar minded organizations, businesses and community leaders in the Greater Houston area of Texas.
We believe that creating experiences for our youth provides invaluable hope and direction.
Help us provide for those who can't. Our youth don't need to know how it gets done, it just needs to get done!
Our Vision
Here in 2024, the needs now extend outside system walls and into our homes and communities. Our vision, is too level the playing field.
Today, experiences, private instructors, camps, clinics, leagues, tournaments, equipment, etc., have eliminated a huge percentage of our youth able to participate due to fees and costs. This is unacceptable. ODF hopes to identify and provide for this population within our communities.