Verenice Patino, a student at Santiago Canyon College, received the first $5000 scholarship from the Eddie Nash Foundation to help complete her education.

25 foster youth attended yesterday’s Passports to Success workshop on personal health and how to get the most of their health benefits from the state.
Founder Bryan “eddie” Nash welcomed the participants. Dynamic presentations challenged the
youth to learn how to care for themselves both mentally and physically, when to seek emergency care, and to find a mentor who can help them navigate through good and bad times. Two of the speakers had themselves been foster youth who have gone on to college and successful, fulfilling lives encouraged the participants to go to college.
The event was held at Villa Park City Hall and went from 10 am- -2:30pm. Special thanks to Jessica Juarez and Dr Jay Applebaum for their assistance at the workshop.

Eddie Nash Foundation Gala Raises Over $27,000 for Orange County Foster Youth

The Eddie Nash Foundation which provides educational opportunities and helps reunite foster youth separated by the system held its gala on August 2nd at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim. 120 attendees enjoyed a Hawaiian Style Buffet and the music stylings of Kenny Metcalf who does an amazing tribute to Elton John’s Early Years. The event also featured the inaugural scholarship of $5000 that was presented to Vernice Patino, a former foster youth who is pursuing her education to become a neuropsychologist, by foundation founders Bryan Nash and his sister Cindy Goodfellow also former foster youths. The foundation plans to increase it scholarship fund to $20,000 next year to empower more former youth to pursue educational opportunities or attend trade schools. The gala committee included board members Carol Lutz, Sally Habelow, Christie Thompson, Lorie Nash and Jay Applebaum.

Founders Bryan Nash and Cindy Goodfellow present Vernice Patino her scholarship; Members of the board; Kenny Metcalf as Elton John