San Jose, CA, United States – July 1, 2025 - Pivotal, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering foster youth with educational and career support, is proud to announce a transformative $1,000,000 donation from businesswoman and philanthropist Louise de Putron. This generous gift will support Pivotal’s existing coaching and scholarship programs over the next three years and establish a new mental health fund to support the mental and emotional wellness of young people from foster care in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. 

A long-time advocate for education equity and youth mental health, Ms. de Putron’s support reflects her deep commitment to creating opportunities for young people from foster care to thrive both academically and personally. 

 “Young people from foster care face unique and often invisible challenges that require more than just financial aid,” said Ms. de Putron. “With this gift, I hope to not only open doors to education, but also to help build a foundation of mental wellness that allows young people to truly succeed.” 

Part of Ms. de Putron’s donation will fund scholarships to young people in and from foster care pursuing college and vocational training. All scholarship recipients also participate in Pivotal’s individualized, trauma-responsive coaching program. Pivotal coaches support scholars from foster care through unstable home placements, school changes, and life challenges to ensure they remain focused on their academic and career goals. 

The donation also includes $50,000 per year over the next three years which will be designated to the Pivotal Mental Health Fund. Young people who have been in foster care experience more mental health challenges including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder, depression, and social phobia. It is also common for these young people to cope with their trauma by engaging in high-risk behaviors such as violence, substance use, and delinquencies and to experience higher levels of unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration.  

“Many of our scholars require ongoing, long-term therapy to help them heal from trauma,” says Savonna Stender-Bondesson, LCSW, Pivotal’s Director of Coaching Programs. “Increasingly, our coaches are struggling to find this consistent care for scholars because of limited available therapists, and the cost of therapy.” 

The Pivotal Mental Health fund expands Pivotal’s existing coaching support and connection to resources. The fund will directly pay for, or supplement, mental health services for Pivotal scholars in partnership with local mental health providers. 

Pivotal CEO, Matt Bell, expressed deep gratitude for the gift. “We are honored to be among Ms. de Putron’s portfolio of respected nonprofit beneficiaries. Her donation will have a tremendous impact on the scholars we serve. While we still need ongoing community support to continue this important work, we are very grateful for Ms. de Putron’s generous gift and her vote of confidence in our work.” 

The impact of this gift will be immediate and long-lasting, allowing Pivotal to deepen its support for young people in and from foster care and more holistically address the barriers to academic and professional success that they face. 

About Pivotal 

Pivotal is the only nonprofit in Silicon Valley focused exclusively on meeting the educational and career needs of young people in and from foster care. The organization has been providing support to students from foster care for over 35 years through trauma-responsive, individualized academic coaching, college scholarships, professional development, and career readiness support as they navigate the critical years from high school to college and into the workforce. To learn more about Pivotal and ways to support its mission, please visit www.pivotalnow.org. 

Media Contact: 

Maria D’Souza
maria.dsouza@pivotalnow.org  
408 465 3707