Our Story
Our Story
125 Years of Hope, Care, and Community
From our start in Sacramento to serving youth across Northern California, we’ve been committed to meeting families where they are—in their homes, schools, and communities. Over the decades, we’ve evolved to provide culturally responsive care so every young person can heal and thrive. Today, we’re proud to celebrate 125 years of supporting children and families, and we invite you to watch our story unfold in this special anniversary video.
An Unforgettable Evening Honoring 125 Years of Impact
We proudly celebrated 125 years of transforming the lives of youth and families alongside our partners, staff, donors, and community members. The evening was a powerful reflection of the impact we’ve made together—filled with connection, gratitude, and hope for the future. Thank you to everyone who joined us in commemorating this milestone. Your continued support fuels our mission, and we look forward to carrying this momentum forward as we empower youth and families for generations to come.
Honoring Our Legacy Through Art
We were thrilled to celebrate our 125th anniversary with the completion of a historical timeline mural by local artist Jaya King. Now proudly displayed in the lobby of our admin office, the mural brings our story to life—honoring our deep-rooted history of serving youth and families throughout Sacramento and Northern California. Through this powerful work of art, we are able to reflect on our legacy, the communities we’ve touched, and the lasting impact of our work over the years.
A heartfelt thank you to Jaya for capturing our history so thoughtfully and beautifully. We loved sharing the behind-the-scenes journey and were honored to unveil this meaningful tribute as part of our anniversary celebration.
Celebrating 125 Years of Transforming Lives
Stanford Sierra Youth & Families (SSYAF) proudly celebrates a monumental milestone: our 125th anniversary. Since our founding in 1900, we have been steadfast in our mission to support vulnerable youth and families, evolving to meet their changing needs for more than a century. From our beginning as an orphanage to our transformation into a dynamic community-based organization, SSYAF remains committed to ensuring every young person has the family, stability, and tools they need to thrive.
Our journey has been one of tremendous growth and transformation. A pivotal moment in our history came in 2019, when Stanford Youth Solutions and Sierra Forever Families merged to form Stanford Sierra Youth & Families. This merger strengthened our ability to address the complex challenges youth and families face today, expanding our continuum of care to provide holistic support across every stage of a family’s journey.