Richard Burgess was a child in the system, learning to cope with situations that any child should not have to. His dad was an alcoholic and his mother was addicted to methamphetamines. Richard relied on his sisters Christina and Angelina for support.

Eventually things escalated and the three children entered the foster care system. As time passed, Richard was not learning to cope with his feelings and started acting out. The foster home organization decided to send Richard to a group home in Perris, CA called the Ranch. At that time, Richard was doing poor in school and his first night at the group home became a turning point in this young man’s life. In his own words Richard details his feelings that night, “I thought to myself that I can’t go on like this, I had to do something about it and only I could change the path that my life is leading. So I made a vow to myself that I was going to prove to everyone that we control every aspect of our life, I can’t blame my parents or the worst group home therapist that I ever had, I had to do everything on my own, after all I considered myself a man, so I had to act like one.”

Entering his last year in high school, Richard worked hard to pay attention in his classes and found that most of the subjects he was being taught were actually interesting. With the support of organizations like Children’s Fund, Richard worked hard, earning good grades in all of his classes and taking extra classes after school to catch up. At the end of the year Richard earned his diploma and finally showed that he is determined to make it in life. After graduation Richard turned eighteen and emancipated out of the county system. He exited the group home and got into an apartment through Camron Hills After Care and joined the California conservation core, getting paid as a firefighter. His training was very intense and exciting, including fighting the 2003 wildfires in the hills of Rancho Cucamonga.

Since then, Richard has been working hard to support himself and striving to return to school to earn a degree. He has his own apartment and today is determined to speak up and show kids that if you want to be something you have to believe in yourself and have confidence. When asked why he feels advocacy for children is important Richard reveals, “I think that people need to be aware of what kids go though and how the public can help out. I am currently on a path in my life that knows were I am going and that is to stay working with the system and also kids that are in the system, and also get a plan for social workers to be aware of the mentality of kids that come in the system and there background to better work for both the social workers and kids that could lead to understand the kids points of views.”

Children’s Fund is proud to support Richard, and the thousands of children just like him, in achieving their dreams. We are pleased that our loyal donors were there to give Richard and his sisters the courage and dedication it takes to move up from a difficult period.

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Last Updated May 16, 2008