Trinity Youth Services Approaches 60 Years of Changing Lives, Fueled by Inperium

Written by Matt Emma for LA Weekly, June 09, 2025

As Trinity Youth Services nears its 60th anniversary, the Southern California-based nonprofit reflects on nearly six decades of transforming the lives of thousands of children through compassionate care, trauma-informed support, and a belief in the power of connection. 

At the helm of this legacy is Cher Ofstedahl, a woman who’s spent 27 years with Trinity. But hers is more than a career. It is a calling in personal experience. “I’m the kid who often wished I could’ve been in foster care,” says Ofstedahl, who grew up in an abusive household. “But it was a teacher who stepped in, became my guardian, and helped me to get to college. If I can be that for anyone, I will be.” 

That mission aligns with Trinity Youth Services, which provides foster care, adoption, short-term residential treatment, and mental health services to children across California, including many with refugee statuses. 

But Trinity doesn’t walk this path alone. Thanks to Ofstedahl, it walks hand-in-hand with the Children’s Foundation of America (CFA), which is also nearing 20 years, quietly but powerfully providing what vulnerable children actually need. “We created CFA as a separate 501(c)(3) to do what Trinity couldn’t: raise funds to fill in the gaps and ensure children not only survive but thrive,” Ofstedahl explains. 

That gap is often filled with more than dollars. It’s filled with dignity. One child, suffering from epilepsy, was difficult to place with a family until Trinity and CFA stepped in to purchase and train a service dog. “We gave the dog and the training it needed together,” Ofstedahl says. “It made all the difference. That child now has a forever home.” 

In another case, the only known relative for an adoptable child was a grandmother in China. The foundation paid for Mandarin lessons so the child could communicate with her in her native language. “This is what we mean by ‘serving the child,’” Ofstedahl says. “It’s not about meals and a roof. It’s to heal trauma, restore dignity, and build meaningful, lasting connections.” Today, CFA supports not only Trinity’s children but also other child-serving organizations. 

Helping this network of care grow is Inperium, Inc., a national nonprofit holding company providing administrative, financial, and operational support to mission-driven organizations. Trinity affiliated with Inperium to future-proof its services in an increasingly unstable funding environment. Traditional payments haven’t kept up with inflation or the rising cost of care, and needs are growing, especially around mental health. “The acuity of children entering our programs has increased dramatically,” Ofstedahl notes. “We’re now able to better diagnose and treat trauma, but the costs are steep.” 

Inperium has helped Trinity and CFA achieve the economies of scale they needed to stay focused on what matters most: the kids. “It would have been tragic to see Trinity fail to thrive,” says Jay Deppeler, Chief Development Officer at Inperium. “We’re proud to help them do more, for more children, more efficiently.” 

Ryan D. Smith, Executive Chairman and CEO of Inperium, echoes the sentiment: “Cher’s team does incredible work. When they asked if the Children’s Foundation could support other Inperium affiliates, the answer was yes. It’s our greatest hope this year to provide gifts, support, and resources for every child in our care, regardless of where they are.” 

These ‘gifts’ aren’t always what one expects. They can be a service dog, Mandarin lessons, a prom ticket, a yearbook, a graduation cap and gown, or a sports uniform. “Traditional contracts allow us to spend $35 per child during the holidays,” Ofstedahl says. “But $35 doesn’t cover soccer cleats, let alone a seizure-response dog. So we fundraise to give them what they actually need.” 

Through CFA, they’ve also given away more than $60,000 a year in scholarships, not for tuition, which grants often cover, but for living expenses. “Imagine being 18, out of foster care, and trying to pay for housing, food, and transportation without a family safety net,” Ofstedahl says. “How do you study when you’re working three jobs? These scholarships change that story.” 

And sometimes, it’s the little things that carry the most symbolism. “One of my first projects when I joined Trinity was collecting luggage,” Ofstedahl recalls. “Our kids were moving from home to home with garbage bags. As if they didn’t already feel thrown away, we were reinforcing that idea. I couldn’t let that stand.” 

The next five years? For Ofstedahl and her team, it’s about reshaping how the public sees foster care. “There’s a perception that these kids are living in awful conditions, that foster care is neglectful. But many programs are heavily regulated, trauma-informed, and deeply focused on healing,” she says. “We want people to know that we are here, and we will be here until every child has a happy home.” She also hopes the Children’s Foundation of America can continue expanding, serving kids, anywhere, who need hope. 

In a world where funding is uncertain and trauma is rising, that hope often begins with a simple truth: it only takes one caring adult to change a life. Thanks to Trinity Youth Services, the Children’s Foundation of America, and partners like Inperium, thousands of children are already on a better path. And that path keeps growing, one connection at a time.