Emily’s Story
Meet Emily Harris, M.D. – Orangewood’s first medical doctor!
Medical school is a lofty and ambitious dream for anyone. For a former foster youth, it could very well be an impossible dream.
Yet in June, 2017, Emily Harris – a former foster youth who has benefited from Orangewood Foundation scholarships and other programs – became our first medical doctor.
There are three major reasons Emily was able to achieve this ambitious goal: her intelligence and perseverance, the love of her grandmother (who gained custody of Emily and her siblings after several years in the foster care system), and Orangewood Foundation, which provided critical scholarships during her years at both UCLA and Albany Medical College in New York.
“I owe everything to Orangewood’s donors – silent and anonymous people whom I’ve never even met,” notes Dr. Harris. “I am in awe of how Orangewood’s donors have faith in former foster youth like me and I look forward to becoming a donor when I can.”
Your gift to Orangewood Foundation makes a statement that you care about the success of former foster youth like Emily. Your gift will also be used wisely, with 86 cents of each gift dollar directly benefiting our youth by providing health & wellness, housing, life skills & employment, and education for the 2,000 current and former foster youth Orangewood will work with this coming year.
Orangewood can’t do it without you! Please make your gift today.
Check here to see if your employer will match your donation, making your gift help even more Orangewood foster and community youth!
