San Diego has more than 3,000 hurt babies & children in foster care.
The system that was supposed to protect them is collapsing.
Angels 2.0 is the answer.
The System Is Broken. We're Not.
70%
of foster youth who age out become homeless, incarcerated, sex trafficked or die within one year.
80%
of U.S. prison inmates spent time in the foster care system.
3.8
average placements a child under 5 experiences in their first year of foster care.
Foster children experience
3x the PTSD as combat soldiers do.
They didn't choose this.
They were placed in a system that was never built to heal them, just house them.
For 26 years, our innovative and unique Angel's model has proved there was a better way.
Then the system collapsed around it.
Angels 2.0
is what comes next...
What Makes Angels Different
One Child. One Family.
Every Angels family commits to one child or siblings at a time.
Allowing families to focus all their energy on one child in need of our care.
*Also screening out parents motivated by the children's food & clothing funding.
Commitment to Permanency
Angels parents don't give up. They all commit to staying with a child until the court determines a permanent outcome — reunification or adoption with their Angel's forever family. For our children, that commitment changes everything.
Extraordinary Support
Our Angels families are never alone.
Training & support from experienced Angel's Parents, a world-class Resource Network of therapists, coaches, tutors, and healers — all free to every Angels family.
Built on 26 Years of Proof
Angels Foster Family Network was founded in 1998 by Cathy Richman, a CASA volunteer who believed infants and toddlers deserved better than what the system offered. She was right.
Over 26 years...
Angels has rescued more than 10,000 hurt babies & children from the re-traumatizing system, certified over 5,000 foster homes in three different cities and maintained a safety and permanency success rate above 99%. Those are all totally unprecedented outcomes in foster care.
No other agency or model has ever produced outcomes close to the Angels model of commitment to permanency and one child at a time.
In early 2026, Angels was forced to close.
Not because the model failed, but because California's foster care
insurance crisis left even the best agencies unable to survive.
We refused to let that be the end of the story.
Angels 2.0 is the continuation of everything Cathy built — with deeper experience, stronger infrastructure, and the same unbreakable commitment to San Diego's most vulnerable children.
"The Angels model is the only effective and innovative model of foster care ever created and implemented in the 173 years of foster care in America."
— Jamie Thomas, Executive Director Angels 2.0
Our Angels Resource Network
Could You Be an Angels Parent?
You don't have to be perfect.
You do have to be committed.
Angels 2.0 is looking for qualified and deeply dedicated people who are ready to open their home — and their heart — to a child who has been through the unthinkable.
We'll train you. We'll support you. We'll never leave you alone.
Your Gift Changes a Child's Story
Every donation to Angels 2.0 goes directly to finding, training, and supporting the extraordinary families who are changing the lives for San Diego's most vulnerable babies & children. 100% of charitable contributions support our families. Zero goes to waste on outdated and ineffective policies or procedures.
Led by People Who've Lived It
Experienced Next Level Foster Parenting Innovators
CATHY RICHMAN
Founder & Game Changing Innovator
JAMIE THOMAS
Executive Director & Angels Parent
OUR STATE OF THE ART
ANGEL'S 2.0
PARENT & CHILD
RESOURCE NETWORK
Our Best of the Best Resource Network separates us from every other foster care agency.
Our Angels babies don't stay babies forever, they grow they thrive over the years with our committed families. Throughout that growth they need authentic expert therapeutic support. Our unique network is filled with experienced and committed Teachers, Instructors, Gurus, Masters, Doctors, and Specialists who are ready, willing and able to help any and all of our Angel's babies & children. We intentionally designed these valuable resources and services to be super user friendly and easily accessible to our Angels families.
And the best part is, they are all fully paid for by us.
Mike Myrdal
Rock Star/guitar Instructor
Mike is the lead singer and guitar hero of the legendary band Stepping Feet. We are so stoked to have him on our team.
Alyssa Abel, Lmft
Expert Child & Family Therapist
Alyssa is an experienced, compassionate, creative and enlightened therapist for our children and families.
Inocente'
Art Therapist and Role Model
Inocente' has an amazing life story and is filled with wisdom and a passion to teach and help others.
Steve Bombaci
Surf Guru, Leader & Mentor
Steve is a surfing legend and leader in the San Diego Beach community for more than 30 years.
Dr. Michael Lardon
Psychiatrist
Dr. Mike has been a leader in Psychiatry in San Diego for 30 years and a specialist with Medication Management.
Mrs. Sarah Strong
Super Tutor/teacher
Mrs. Sarah has been teaching a wide variety of students for many years and is an amazing individual tutor for our kiddos.
Coach Anthony
Private Soccer Coach
Coach Anthony is an experienced and gifted coach with the San Diego Rebels and our kid's private soccer trainer.
Professor David Guillent
Kid’s Professor, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
Professor David Guillent trained in Jiu Jitsu under the tutelage of Professor Elias Gallegos and is the head instructor for the kids program.
Coach Mike Strong
Track Coach
Coach Mike is a former track star and amazing coach, teacher, mentor and Super Dad.
Mrs. Glady
Super Tutor/teacher
Glady is a star in everyway. She's a next level teacher, tutor, foster parent and leader.
Genevieve Mcclendon
Reiki Healer, Art & Yoga Teacher
Gen is an amazing multidimensional healer and teacher who provides private virtual sessions for our Parents and Children in their homes