Anything is possible with Seneca’s Unconditional Support
takes a lot to know what you want,” Celeste says. “I didn’t really start to learn who I wanted to be and what I wanted to do with my life until I came to Seneca.” It’s hard to believe that only a couple years ago, Celeste, a former foster youth and current college student, was just an anxious high schooler, trying to balance a relationship with her foster mother while staying connected to her biological mom. Despite these challenges, Celeste held fast to her dream of attending a four year university, and Seneca was there to support her every step of the way. Seneca Family of Agencies (Seneca) is driven by values that reflect the agency’s foundational commitment to sustain youth and families through the most difficult times of their lives. Through this unwavering promise, Seneca works to create a new narrative of possibilities: to discover love where there appears to be only loss; to give compassion in the face of indifference; and to celebrate the joy of hard earned success. Over the last thirty three years, Seneca has become the statewide leader in the provision of permanency, mental health, and education services. Our continuum of care was developed out of a willingness to persistently ask: What do youth and their families need? What will it take to ensure those needs are met? While the families we serve are among the most vulnerable, few providers have reached such high levels of success. In honor of being named a Top Workplace for the fourth year in a row, we’re proud to share this #SenecaSpotlight, featuring Celeste, a shining example of Unconditional Care in action. “At Seneca I was given the option to make my own choices, which is not something I have ever been given the option to do,” says Celeste. “Helping our foster youth have a voice in the process is critical,” says Lillian Conboy, a Seneca Support Counselor who helped track down high school transcripts, edit her college essays and help complete Celeste’s financial aid forms as she pushed toward her dream of higher education. Celeste is currently a sophomore at UC Merced, and a valued Seneca intern. Majoring in Chemistry and Public Health, she hopes to practice medicine at a community clinic after graduating. Welcoming Celeste as a part of the Seneca family not only enriches our agency, but also allows us to better serve the youth we care so deeply about.