The National Crittenton Foundation supports empowerment, self-sufficiency, and the end of cycles of destructive behaviors for girls, young women and their families who live at the margin of the American dream.

Girls, young women and their families @ the margin live each day facing major obstacles not of their own making. The majority are survivors of child sexual, physical and emotional abuse; persistent neglect; grew up in homes marked by domestic violence and substance abuse and continue to experience violence in their lives. As a result they bear the life long burden of healing from trauma and face significant challenges like profound social isolation, addiction, depression, low educational achievement, etc. They tend to live in rural and urban poverty; to be disproportionately young women of color; and many are young single mothers. Moreover, many are (or are at risk of involvement) in foster care, juvenile justice, are homeless or are engaged in or trafficked into commercial sexual exploitation.

It’s a sad but true fact that we allow girls and young women @ the margin to remain largely invisible in our families, communities and even to the systems responsible for supporting them.

Yet despite all this, girls and young women at the margin are strong, courageous, resilient, powerful and unusually hopeful. They are filled with potential, dreams and the will to change.

We value…

• The strength, courage, resiliency and potential of girls and young women.
• Opportunities and supports that help girls and young women break intergenerational cycles of destructive behaviors and system reliance.
• The power of strategic alliances as a catalyst for change.
• Research and practice innovation for personal and social change.
• Dedication to addressing root causes such as poverty, racism, sexism and violence.