In honor of Pride Month, Child Advocates is spotlighting CASA Bear Flintgruber for his commitment to LIFTING UP our LGBTQ+ foster youth.
CASA Volunteer: Bear Flintgruber, he/they
Years of Service with Child Advocates of Silicon Valley: 2
Number of Children Served: 1
BEING THE REPRESENTATION THEY NEED
Passionate about serving the community, Bear Flintgruber knew that he wanted to start volunteering with children, particularly LGTBQ+ foster youth, to give them an adult they could lean on and trust.
“Understanding how many foster youth are in the LGBTQ+ community, and wanting to step up for them was a big reason why I wanted to start volunteering.”
With over 30% of youth in foster care identifying as LGTBQ+, having a CASA that can relate and understand their experiences is vital for representation.
As a fellow member of the LGBTQ+ community, Bear makes sure they are consistently SHOWING UP for his foster youth, both as an advocate in the background, checking in with members of their team, and through their weekly meet-ups. He has found that even making the smallest of connections, like cooking them Tamagoyaki or sharing stories from his recent wedding, creates a lasting impact in their youth’s life.
“Becoming an adult human being is really tough, and having someone you can look at who has done that helps a lot. And it is the case that having a support network is more powerful than basically anything in this world.”
LEARNING THE SYSTEMS THAT IMPACT THE MOST
As a CASA, Bear advocates for Taylor, their foster youth, by learning about the systems that impact them the most, listening to their needs, and finding opportunities where he can provide support.
Bear has been advocating for Taylor since 2023, helping the teenager navigate school transitions and the path to adulthood. As the teen’s educational rights holder, Bear helped get their youth into schools that were equipped to handle their particular needs, making sure they were in an environment with the support they needed to thrive. Helping Taylor with these challenges, while finding the balance between support and mentorship, has played a major role in his journey.
“I’ve learned a lot more about the public school system and the non-public school system in the area. It has taught me a lot more about the struggles that kids are facing today. It’s the frustrations with the system as it is, and it’s the frustration that everyone is doing their best, and it still falls short.”
At every step of their advocacy journey, Bear has looked to the Child Advocates team for training and advice to help provide Taylor with the best options.
“Having people who know a lot about the system has been incredibly useful, just because knowing the possibility space is crucial to being able to provide stuff for youth. There was a bit of time when they were dually involved, and having people who knew about that was incredibly helpful.”
THE TIME TO SHOW UP IS NOW
Bear urges those who are interested in volunteering with foster youth to do their research, talk to someone, and reach out to Child Advocates. The importance lies not in doing it perfectly, but being there and showing up for foster youth.
“[Foster Youth] deserve all the time in the world. So, if you are stuck on the idea that you have to do it perfectly to do it, it is more important to get it done now than it is to do it 10% better in the future. So, reach out however it is, whatever block you have, talk about it so you can get through it.”
*An alias was used to protect the privacy of the child.
FUN FACTS:
TV Show Recommendation(s): Dropout TV
Favorite Movie: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse & Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Currently Reading: Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh or The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow
Favorite Music Artist: Green Day
Favorite Type of Food: Mac & Cheese, Sushi
Favorite Place: Home
Favorite Hobbies: Community Organizing with South Bay Queer Solidarity
Support Foster Youth Today
Here are just a few of the ways you can SHOW UP for foster youth this month:
- Take the first step to advocating for foster youth. Attend an informational session to learn more about becoming a CASA Volunteer.
- Support our CASA Program and invest in our foster youth with a financial contribution. You can also check with your company to see if they match employee donations.
- Register for the O’Leary Golf Classic taking place this August 25th at Boulder Ridge Golf Club in San Jose, CA.
- Become a Corporate Champion by sponsoring an activity or one of our fundraising events. Email us at development@childadvocatessv.org to learn how your company can be a part of the solution for foster kids.
- Follow us on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.