Printer-friendly version
East County News ServiceMarch 22, 2026 (San Diego) -- Nonprofit Walden Family Services, which has supported more than 100,000 foster children and families since its founding in 1976, will host two public fundraisers as part of celebrating its 50 years in service.
The golden anniversary comes as the organization pivots toward an expansion of its housing and prevention programs for "Transitional Age Youth" --- young adults ages 18 to 26 who are aging out of the foster care system.
The celebration begins this week with the Walden Fairways Scramble Golf Tournament on Thursday, March 26. Held at the Singing Hills Golf Course at Sycuan, the charity tournament is designed to raise immediate funds for Walden’s housing initiatives.
Next month, Walden will host its official 50th Anniversary Gala at the Thursday Club in Point Loma: "There’s No Place Like Home." The event on April 30 will feature live entertainment and honors for the community supporters who have helped the organization grow from a local foster agency into a statewide leader in transitional housing.
Over the last five decades, Walden Family Services has evolved to serve nearly 1,500 individuals every year across Southern California.
Walden Family Services CEO Teresa Stivers emphasizes that the current focus on housing is a matter of long-term community health.
“When children and young adults have stable housing, trusted relationships, and the tools to become financially independent, they are far more likely to thrive,” Stivers said.
Stivers noted that for many young people in San Diego, the support of Walden Family Services is the difference between homelessness and a career.
“A San Diego-based graduate of our housing program shared that having a stable place to call home allowed them to focus on school, secure steady employment and begin building savings,” she added. “That stability didn’t just change their circumstances, it changed their trajectory.”
As Walden moves forward, the organization is actively seeking new partnerships with regional property managers and landlords to help house the more than 200,000 young people in California who experience housing instability each year.
“Landlords who partner with Walden are not simply leasing property — they are strengthening long-term community stability,” Stivers said.
The golf tournament has an 8:30 a.m. tee-off time at Singing Hills Golf Course at Sycuan is located at 3007 Dehesa Road in El Cajon. The gala at the Thursday Club, 1244 Santa Barbara St. in San Diego is from 6 to 9 p.m.
For more information on the upcoming golf tournament, gala tickets, or housing partnerships, visit waldenfamily.org
Recent comments