Space exploration
Reach for the stars
STEM career exposure and mentorship aimed at technology and space exploration — with an ambitious long-term goal of sending a foster youth or former foster youth to space.
The Foundation Program is AFF’s STEM pipeline for young people who have experienced foster care or other disadvantage. We pair Hands-on AI Training, 3D CAD Design with SOLIDWORKS, paid microgreens farming in Dallas, and college-to-career pathways.
Four frontiers
Code. Design. Grow. Launch.
AI & coding
Hands-on AI Training
Practical experience with modern AI tools and agents — build, problem-solve, and create. Learn to build a website, a multi-function phone application, and other software. The same energy as AI-assisted development environments used by builders and engineers worldwide. See the weekly sessions →
3D CAD
SOLIDWORKS Design
Professional 3D CAD training using SOLIDWORKS AI, Design, Simulation, and Electronics — model, test, and prototype real products. See the weekly sessions →
Foundation Farms · Dallas
Grow to Earn
Paid vocational training in Education and Human Services: teach foster youth to farm, hire them as paid associates, and sell to DFW restaurants. 100% of proceeds return to the nonprofit. See Grow to Earn →
Why “Foundation”?
Build for the long term
Named for Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series — preserving knowledge, building for generations, and shaping the future through science and leadership. We invest in young people today so they can guide tomorrow.
- Inspired by Asimov — institutions and skills that outlast any single generation.
- A foster youth in space — a defining goal that motivates rigorous STEM preparation.
- Advancing technology — AI and emerging fields so participants help shape what comes next.
- 3D CAD with SOLIDWORKS — professional Design, AI, Simulation, and Electronics tools for building real products.
- Paid farming in Dallas — modular microgreens, restaurant sales, and 100% of proceeds back into youth wages.
- Leadership for the overlooked — equipping youth who have faced foster care to lead.
Who it’s for
Ages 14–24 · STEM curious · No experience required
Current and former foster youth and other disadvantaged young people interested in STEM — especially AI, 3D CAD, and space exploration. Curiosity and commitment matter most.