Our Story: Celebrating 125 Years

This year, Stanford Sierra Youth & Families (SSYAF) proudly celebrates a monumental milestone: our 125th anniversary. Since our founding in 1900, we have been steadfast in our mission to support vulnerable youth and families, evolving to meet their changing needs for more than a century. From our beginning as an orphanage to our transformation into a dynamic community-based organization, SSYAF remains committed to ensuring every young person has the family, stability, and tools they need to thrive.

Our journey has been one of tremendous growth and transformation. A pivotal moment in our history came in 2019, when Stanford Youth Solutions and Sierra Forever Families merged to form Stanford Sierra Youth & Families. This merger strengthened our ability to address the complex challenges youth and families face today, expanding our continuum of care to provide holistic support across every stage of a family’s journey.

Today, our services span family stabilization, behavioral and mental health support, substance use prevention and treatment, juvenile justice intervention, mentoring, foster care and pre- and post-adoption services. Each of these programs are thoughtfully designed to break the cycle of child welfare involvement ensuring children remain safe, families are strengthened, and long-term success is within reach.

For 125 years, our commitment to youth and families has never wavered. While our program services have evolved, our purpose has remained clear to empower youth and families to overcome challenges.  Through our services, the youth develop life skills, and grow into self-sufficient adults. We support the entire family with professional treatment and compassionate care, so every youth has the opportunity to thrive.

As we honor this incredible 125-year journey, we are filled with gratitude for every individual that has been part of our story. Looking ahead, we are inspired to deepen our impact, strengthen our programs, and continue building a legacy of hope, healing, and empowerment for generations to come.