In the heart of Bakersfield, California, stands a unique facility that represents hope, opportunity, and transformation for some of the community’s most vulnerable young people. The Dream Center, operated by the Kern County Network for Children, serves as Kern County’s only one-stop resource center dedicated exclusively to current and former foster youth up to age 25.
A Name Born from Experience
What makes the Dream Center particularly special is its origin story. The facility wasn’t named by administrators or board members—it was named by the founding foster youth who helped design the service delivery model. This youth-centered approach reflects the center’s core philosophy: that those who have lived the foster care experience are best positioned to understand what services and support are truly needed.
Located at 1801 19th Street in Bakersfield, the Dream Center operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., providing a safe, welcoming space where young people can access comprehensive support services under one roof.
Comprehensive Services Under One Roof
The Dream Center’s strength lies in its holistic approach to supporting foster youth. Rather than requiring young people to navigate multiple agencies and locations, the center brings together essential services in a single, accessible location. The facility utilizes a formal case management system, ensuring that each young person receives coordinated, personalized support.
Services available at the Dream Center include professional counseling, assistance with accessing housing, transportation, food, medical care, and hygiene items. The center also provides crucial support for educational and vocational programs, helping young people build the skills they need for long-term success. Staff members assist with job searches, resume creation, interview preparation, and even provide appropriate clothing for job interviews.
Beyond basic needs, the Dream Center offers tutoring services, life skills training, and assistance with accessing CalFresh and Medi-Cal benefits. For homeless youth, the facility provides shower and laundry facilities—services that can make the difference between maintaining employment or education and losing these opportunities.
Collaborative Approach to Care
One of the Dream Center’s most innovative features is its collaborative staffing model. The facility houses co-located staff from multiple agencies, including the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Foster Youth Services, Kern County Departments of Human Services, Probation, and Behavioral and Recovery Services. This integrated approach eliminates the bureaucratic barriers that often prevent young people from accessing the help they need.
This collaboration ensures that whether a young person needs mental health support, educational assistance, legal guidance, or basic necessities, they can access these services without being shuffled between different agencies and locations. The result is more efficient service delivery and better outcomes for the youth served.
Building Community and Connection
The Dream Center recognizes that foster youth often lack the social connections and support networks that many young people take for granted. To address this, the center organizes social events designed to help youth develop meaningful relationships with peers who understand their experiences. These gatherings provide opportunities for young people to build friendships, share experiences, and create the support networks essential for long-term success.
The center also emphasizes self-advocacy training, empowering young people to speak up for themselves and navigate systems independently. This focus on empowerment rather than dependency helps prepare youth for successful transitions to full independence.
Impact on the Community
The Dream Center serves a critical need in Kern County, where foster youth face significant challenges transitioning to adulthood. National statistics show that foster youth are at higher risk for homelessness, unemployment, and other negative outcomes compared to their peers. By providing comprehensive, coordinated support, the Dream Center helps break this cycle and gives young people the tools they need to build successful, independent lives.
The center’s impact extends beyond individual success stories. By helping foster youth achieve stability and self-sufficiency, the Dream Center contributes to the overall health and prosperity of the Bakersfield community. Young people who receive support are more likely to pursue education, maintain employment, and become contributing members of society.
A Model for Other Communities
The Dream Center’s innovative approach has garnered attention from other communities seeking to better serve their foster youth populations. The combination of youth-centered design, comprehensive services, and collaborative staffing creates a model that could be replicated in other areas facing similar challenges.
The center’s success demonstrates the power of listening to the voices of those with lived experience and designing services around their actual needs rather than administrative convenience. This approach has created a facility that truly serves its intended population effectively.
Looking Forward
As the Dream Center continues to evolve and expand its services, it remains committed to its founding principle: that foster youth deserve comprehensive support delivered with dignity and respect. The center continues to adapt its programming based on feedback from the young people it serves, ensuring that services remain relevant and effective.
The Dream Center stands as a testament to what’s possible when communities commit to supporting their most vulnerable young people. Through its comprehensive services, collaborative approach, and youth-centered philosophy, the center is not just helping individual young people succeed—it’s helping to build a stronger, more compassionate community for everyone.
For foster youth in Kern County, the Dream Center represents exactly what its name suggests: a place where dreams can become reality through support, opportunity, and hope.
