• July 7, 2025

2025 Leadership and Life Skills Event

2025 Leadership and Life Skills Event

This past spring, the 2025 Leadership and Life Skills Summit brought together current and former foster youth from across Ohio for a day filled with inspiration, skill-building, and community. Hosted in collaboration with the OHIO Youth Advisory Board (YAB) and ACTION Ohio, and supported by the Ohio Children’s Alliance, Department of Children and Youth, Dave Thomas Foundation, and The Ohana Project, the event offered a powerful space for young people ages 14–24 with foster care experience to connect, learn, and grow.

From workshops on leadership, advocacy, and everyday life skills to networking opportunities with peers and professionals, the summit was designed to help participants gain tools for success and confidence for the future. Throughout the event, attendees engaged in dynamic conversations, learned practical skills, and left feeling more equipped to navigate adulthood.

One of the highlights of the day was the Raffle, proudly organized and hosted by The Ohana Project. The raffle brought excitement and joy to the event, featuring an impressive array of prizes—including an electric scooter, movie gift cards, a TV, and more. This generous giveaway was made possible thanks to sponsorships from Chipotle, Congregation Beth Tikvah, Bob’s Discount Furniture, Directions Credit Union, Target, and Biggby Coffee.

The Ohana Project is proud to have played a role in celebrating and uplifting Ohio’s foster youth, and we look forward to continuing to support and empower this incredible community in future events.

theohanaproject

In Hawaii, Ohana means family and that their village is an extension of that family. The Polynesians also believe that no child should be left behind. That sometimes it takes a village to raise a child. At The Ohana Project we share those same beliefs. It is our mission to give youth aging out of foster care the same opportunity of success as any other child. A project we believe can only be accomplished as a community.