Statement from the Stuart Foundation Board of Directors
For 40 years, the Stuart Foundation has dedicated its resources toward advancing the conditions in which all of California’s young people can live purposeful and successful lives.
While our programs and investments have evolved to meet changing needs and circumstances, the underlying values have remained constant, rooted in the vision of our founder, Elbridge A. Stuart. Shaped and guided by his Quaker roots and traditions, Elbridge was deeply committed to creating the conditions that would enable all young people to benefit from the opportunities that made his life full and meaningful. He believed that actions should be guided by courage, rather than fear, and that the efforts of individuals and public institutions should be rooted in values and informed by experience and knowledge. Nearly a century later, his words and vision continue to ring true.
Our work today reflects our fundamental belief that each young person should be able to develop essential knowledge and skills, experiment with constructively sharing their perspectives, and engage effectively with others, throughout high school and beyond. They also must be nurtured and supported to develop the sense of agency and self-worth that will enable them to persevere, despite life’s inevitable obstacles. We advance equitable systems so that opportunities to develop these essential skills are available to all young people, regardless of their personal circumstances. Our commitment is evidenced by decades of investments in grantee partners who work tirelessly on behalf of young people, including sustained efforts to ameliorate inequitable conditions in the child welfare and foster care systems in California and Washington state.
Above all else, we believe that a strong and equitable public education system is foundational to improving the possibilities for young people’s success and to a healthy and thriving democracy. Efforts to undermine public education or roll back policies that advance equality of opportunity in our communities destabilize the health and well-being of young people and weaken our republic.