Co-founded by Katie Nzekwu, Found Village was built on Katie’s personal journey of living in a juvenile detention center at age fifteen and later working as a social worker to teens in crisis. Through personal and professional experience, Katie understands the challenges that youth with traumatic backgrounds face daily and uses a holistic approach by connecting them with an intentional community of relational resources. By meeting the needs of stability, fostering healthy relationships, and providing a network of support, Found Village disrupts the system and equips youth with the tools needed to reach self-actualization. As of June 2020, they have saved the community over $200,000 in added or duplicated services, stabilized foster care, and independent living placements, and supported teens to graduate from high school and postsecondary programs