Earlier this year Don Easton, President of Easton Painting, received a Humanitarian of the Year award from the PDCA. In true fashion, Don has continued his tireless work with a project that is near and dear to him designed to assist emancipated foster youth.

Don has long recognized the need to additional support for teenagers who are about to age out of the foster system, many of which have little to nothing to begin their trek into adulthood. Five years ago Don began funding a project through his business, Easton Painting, to provide these teenagers with a bag of living essentials to start them off on the right foot.

Over the years this program has grown and is now also backed by the Woodland Sunrise Rotary Club. This year’s project also included partnership with the Homeless and Foster Youth Services at the Yolo County Office of Education. In May this combined effort was able to compile twenty duffel bags, filled with life essentials, for foster teenagers transitioning to independent living. Each duffel bag contained contents valued at over $150, including personal hygiene products and classroom supplies.

Thanks to this team effort, twenty newly emancipated teenagers will be better equipped to start their lives.

Since the start of this program five years ago, Easton’s goal has been, and continues to be, to see this Emancipated Foster Youth project replicated in other Rotary clubs and professional organizations across the country.