Chris Brooks serves as an Advisor for the Gary S. Stevens Foundation. He worked with the Foundation as we moved to our new location as our Director of Community Development and remained involved with the organization after moving back to Las Vegas in his work with the Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth.  Chris was sought after by the foundation due to his first hand experience and vast knowledge of the Child Welfare System. He is currently expanding the minds and spirits of young men through his work at Boys Town.

Chris has been involved with the Child Welfare System nearly his entire life. His personal story is that of tragedy and triumph and inspires almost everyone who knows him. At the age of 4 he and his younger brother were severely abused and neglected and placed in the Nevada Child Welfare System. At the age of 10 he was taken away from his brother and never allowed to see him again. During his 15 years in the states custody he continued to undergo abuse and neglect in most of the 35 or so foster homes, group homes and institutions he lived in. When he was 19 years old he "aged out" of the system and like many youth this age struggled to make ends meet. He eventually resorted to stealing and selling drugs to survive. At the age of 20 he contemplated suicide and had an epiphany. He realized that no matter how bad his life was at the time many people had it worse. This experienced changed his life for ever.

From that moment on he made it his personal mission in life to insure that as many youth as possible had a better chance at success than he did, but first he had to change himself. He enrolled into college, got two jobs and started to build his social support network. He sought after numerous committee appointments and served as the Vice President of the National
Foster Youth Advisory Council in Washington, D.C and a member of the Child Welfare League of America Public Policy Committee to name a few. He testified before state and federal legislature on behalf of foster youth as often as possible.

"Chris's advocacy on behalf of Nevada's foster care community was one of the guiding lights in the creation and passage of legislation that provided for the continued education and support of those children who inhabits the nation's foster care community"  Congressman Jon Porter

At the age of 23 he founded the Mentor Match program whose mission is to insure that youth "aging out" of the Nevada foster care system have a committed and reliable support system. The program has experienced unprecedented success since its inception. Now graduates of the program serve as the mentors and oversee the day to day operations just as he envisioned.

Chris currently continues to pursue his passion for personal growth and is thrilled to be a part of the Gary S. Stevens Foundation. In his free time his favorite hobbies are fishing, playing poker and laughing his butt off.
 

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