MIXED ROOTS FOUNDATION

Helping Adoptees and Their Families discover their biological and cultural roots through DNA Testing and Search & Reunion Resources

Help Go to Bat for Kids by sponsoring adopted and foster kids to their first baseball game as well as provide a platform to help raise awareness and funds for the adoption and foster care community through teaming up with the major league sports including the MLB, NFL, NBA, MLS, WNBA, and various other Sports and Entertainment individuals, businesses and organizations

There is an estimated of over 500,000 kids in the Foster Care system in the United States...

Through the amazing collaborative efforts of Philip Bailey of Earth, Wind and Fire and his Music is Unity Foundation and Korean Adoptee, Founder and President, Holly Choon Hyang Bachman of Mixed Roots Foundation along with its valued Sponsors, Donors, Partners and their benefiting Community Partners, they officially kicked off on May 1st 2020 as well as joined the #GivingTuesdayNow global campaign that took place on May 5th 2020 where everyone was invited to Take the #FosterChallenge that will continue through June 30, 2020. Throughout the month of May that is recognized as National Foster Care Month and now June, the #FosterChallenge will continue to raise awareness and funds for our Foster Youth in need.

As the global pandemic of the #Coronavirus (#COVID19) continues and has forced the closing of many colleges, universities and schools across the country, many foster youth may not have homes or families to go to or have enough food to eat.

"With the Los Angeles County having the largest population of foster youth in the country, The Los Angeles County Department of Child and Family Services (LADCFS) ensures the safety of more than two million children across our diverse county. Currently, our department provides services to 34,000 children and youth, half of whom are in foster care. Through the works of Philip Bailey of Earth Wind and Fire and his Music is Unity Foundation and the Mixed Roots Foundation, They have always given generously and have demonstrated such passion for providing foster youth memorable experiences,” Ginger Pryor, Chief Deputy Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, said. “And even in these changing times, when everyone is sheltering at home and schools are closed, the special collaboration of these wonderful organizations continues to invest in our youth and bring attention to the needs of children in foster care.”

The #FosterChallenge is a national campaign, a first of its kind ever where individuals can donate and share to further support the newly established permanent fund under Mixed Roots Foundation - The #FosterChallenge Emergency Fund that will provide critical funding that will cover costs for meals/food, housing, computer/technological support, transportation, childcare, healthcare/medical, and educational needs.

The overall goal is to raise $1,000,000 and will be distributed across the country to Foster Youth in need and 26 Communty Partners that serve them - All whom have been hit the hardest by this devastating virus. Funds will be distributed in the first week of July 2020.

The Dr. Joseph L. White Pioneering the Way Mentoring Scholarship Fund awards 5 - $1,200 scholarships with priority of those who were adopted and/or in foster care and who has been in a mentoring relationship for a minimum of 1 year.

To date we have awarded over $12,000 to 10 Mentoring Scholars since 2020...We look forward to continuing to award future Mentoring Scholars that will allow them to achieve their educational dreams and goals. In the near future, we are still working on expanding awarding small grants to organizations that are doing the great work in mentoring - Please stay tuned!

The Inaugural Mixed Roots High School Scholarship for Leadership in Education, Diversity and Community will be in partnership with the Owatonna High School in Owatonna, Minnesota where Mixed Roots started over 25 years ago as a High School Cultural Diversity group which still exists today will award 2 High School seniors and will recognize and award student leaders that have been successful in their own work in Education, Diversity, and the greater Community. The overall mission and goals of the scholarship is to increase the initial amount of scholarships and the number of Mixed Roots Scholars over the next few years. This will also help create a ripple effect of positive social impact by hopefully replicating / expanding this scholarship program nationwide with the initial target of Mixed Roots Foundation's team cities of Minneapolis, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York and ultimately establish a Mixed Roots Academy that will help continue the work and legacy of the Mixed Roots.

On October 27th, 2021 the unexpected passing of Mixed Roots Foundation's Founder's oldest brother, Alex Matthew Pettman who struggled with MentalIlness for most of his life would have been 50 Years Old this past January 27th, 2022...Through Mixed Roots Foundation in partnership with NAMI - Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness), The Alex Matthew Pettman Memorial Scholarship will be awarded to Four Individuals who have struggled with Mental Illness and who are seeking to further their education. This special and unique Educational Scholarship will hopefully give Inspiration and Motivation to individuals to either start, continue and/or finish one's education - something that Alex was never able to complete. We know through this scholarship, Alex would be very happy to know that his legacy will go on with helping others who were like him. Please stay tuned for more information and details on an upcoming fundraising event that will take place later this year in Minnesota...