About FAN
FAN is a youth-centered community of safe places and linked hearts.
Since 2005, FAN has changed the lives of more than 1000 teens in foster care and those who may be impacted by the child welfare system by providing an after-school and summer-time “home base”—a safe and engaging space with supportive staff. For many young people, this is the most consistent home and family that they have known.
FAN breaks cycles and changes community narratives to create a safer, more connected, more loving world where youth can thrive. Safe nurturing spaces = safe with myself, safe with my peers, safe within my community.
We empower youth impacted by the child welfare system by providing opportunities to nurture their interests and talents, acquire new skills, and gain a sense of personal and group recognition in an atmosphere of hope.
The name FAN has deep roots in the foundation of the organization. FAN stands for Fihankra Akoma Ntosaso, meaning safe house, linked hearts. In the Akan culture of West Africa, the Fihankra is a communal housing compound which symbolizes a “safe enclosure” or “safe house.” Akoma Ntoaso means “linked hearts,” and is a symbol of understanding and agreement. Many young people do not have access to such safe environments, which are critical to their development.
Why Washington, D.C. Needs FAN
In Washington, D.C., Ward 8 residents face significant social vulnerability. Ward 8 is one of the District’s most under-resourced Wards, with adverse factors such as housing insecurity, food insecurity, and income inequalities only compounding the disparities that youth impacted by the child welfare system experience. Transition-aged youth and adults who experienced the foster care system as children also experience a disproportionate risk of homelessness, poverty, and contact with the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
FAN’s organizational programming is designed to reach and support vulnerable youth and teens through young adulthood. At our youth-led peer-operated center (POC), we provide a safe environment for youth to come to be accepted and allowed the autonomy to become advocates for themselves and their peers.
Visit the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) Dashboard to learn more about the demographics of children in foster care.
