In 2007 local agencies and foundations in Sonoma County completed a community needs assessment, evaluating the services offered to current and former foster youth, as well as identifying what additional services were needed. The assessment revealed gaps of employment, education and mentoring programs - as well as overall coordination between existing services.

It became clear that services being provided to foster youth in Sonoma County needed a transformation. A focus group made up of current and former foster youth was formed in order to determine if a V.O.I.C.E.S. program would be a good fit in Sonoma County. When the answer was a resounding “Yes!” community collaboration meetings began amongst local agencies in order to move the vision of a V.O.I.C.E.S. Sonoma forward.

Nine founding foster youth began to work along side the V.O.I.C.E.S. Sonoma Steering Committee, made up of leaders from agencies and foundations. Together they recruited co-located staff, designed the program, and identified funding sources. After a building was found and leased at a central location in Santa Rosa, the founding youth organized a momentous Grand Opening on April 2nd, 2009 in which 180 youth, community stakeholders, and public officials marked the launch of the Sonoma V.O.I.C.E.S. program.