The question that sparked a movement was painfully simple: What happens the day foster care ends and adulthood begins without a map? Effie Santos, founder and president of Madi’s Movement, turned that question into a promise to close a critical gap a young person can face.
Santos spent 25 years in banking and finance mastering growth, risk and partnership. She left that comfort to build an organization named for her daughter Madi with one clear intent—help young adults aging out of foster care achieve independence with dignity. From the start she chose collaboration over duplication, rallying schools, employers and community partners so resources stretch further for the people who need them most.
A Titan 100 Honoree, Santos reshaped structure to sustain impact. Governance was rebuilt with clear roles and accountability. Teams align around outcomes, and five core pathways guide every plan: education, employment, independent living, driving and wellness. The model equips young adults to become self-sufficient and reduce risk while measuring visible forward motion.
Workforce readiness sits at the heart of the approach. Santos prepares young adults for tomorrow’s jobs by blending technical literacy with communication, problem solving and paid experience. Apprenticeships and internships translate learning into wages that pay bills and build confidence. Employers join the effort through partnerships that lead to real offers, not just informational meetings. The point is practical momentum—skills that matter and a first step that leads to the second.
Energy spreads because Santos stays close to the work. She visits sessions, meets employers and asks graduates what helped. That feedback loop fuels iteration and keeps the organization nimble. A simple mantra guides the pace: Transformation begins the moment you stop waiting to be ready. She teaches teams to act with courage, learn fast and share credit because community change requires many hands moving together.
Madi’s Movement carries that philosophy into daily habits. Participants set goals, build credit, secure stable housing and move from surviving to thriving with support that respects their voice. Stories of progress are celebrated with the same rigor used to review data because both sharpen focus. Each milestone reflects a young person who now has options and a plan.
Vision over the next five years is bold and specific. Madi’s Movement will stand as a trusted launchpad for young adults leaving foster care, with a model that can replicate city to city without losing heart. Scale will follow discipline. Partnerships will deepen. Success will be measured in retention, wages and wellness that last well beyond a single program cycle. Santos leads with heart and systems in equal measure, turning a question into a durable answer built on purpose, accountability and lives changed.
