From Lived Experience to a Lasting Mission
Chris Gathof, Founder and Executive Director of The Ones Who Stayed Foundation, Inc., knows what it means to grow up in foster care. As an author and youth advocate, he has seen how much a consistent, caring adult can mean to a young person navigating uncertainty.
Chris created the foundation after publishing his book, The Ones Who Stayed. During that same week, changes in state funding brought his work supporting youth and families to an end. The timing was difficult, but it brought an important problem into sharper focus.
In his work, Chris sometimes had to tell children that the relationship they had worked hard to build with a trusted adult was ending—not because the child had done anything wrong, but because the service or role was ending. For a child who has already experienced separation and loss, another goodbye can carry real weight.
That experience strengthened a belief Chris had carried for years: children need adults who are honest, dependable, and willing to remain present through change. The foundation's name is both a reflection of his book and a promise to work toward something better.
Today, The Ones Who Stayed Foundation is building a community-centered approach to mentoring, family support, advocacy, and transitions into adulthood. Our goal is not to replace clinical services or child welfare professionals. It is to help make sure children and families have meaningful, ongoing support alongside them.
“Placements may change. Circumstances may change. Families may change. But every child deserves someone who stays.”
The Ones Who Stayed Foundation