Danny Mendoza started Foster Love after finding out his nine-year-old cousin was living out of his car. Mendoza realized there weren’t enough services for children in foster care.
Foster Love, the organization Mendoza founded less than 20 years ago, hit a major landmark last year—the nonprofit served its one-millionth child.
The landmark was part of a successful 2024 for Foster Love, which served more than 200,000 children and youth last year.
Foster Love also reported nearly $12.3 million in revenue in 2024, up from $9.1 million in 2023.
Volunteers also donated more than 78,000 hours of their time to Foster Love’s programs.
One of those programs was called “Sweet Case,” which delivered more than 36,000 duffle bags filled with essential items to Foster Love children and youth.
Mendoza, who worked as a cashier at a McDonald’s and a paralegal at a law firm before creating Brea-based Foster Love in 2008, was one of five people honored at last year’s Innovator of the Year Awards.
Foster Love helps foster youth navigate the system and find a path to pursue. Children and youth who come to Foster Love youth and children are offered after-school and STEM programs, free bicycles, birthday boxes and access to higher education scholarships.
Other programs include shopping sprees and sibling reunifications.
The organization also works with foster agencies, social workers and others, spreading awareness of Foster Love and its programs.
The nonprofit primarily relies on self-funding nowadays.
Mendoza graduated from California State University at Fullerton in 2010.
