Social Advocates for Youth

SAY was established in 1971 by a group of legendary Sonoma County leaders, Judge John Moskowitz, Henry Trione, Chief Probation Officer Bill Mulligan, Lawyer Tadini Bacigalupi and High School Teacher Andy Wahlstrom to provide a constructive alternative to juvenile hall for runaway youth. Since then, SAY has helped over 50,000 youth, aged 5-24. Over the years, SAY has continually refined its program formula to break cycles of abuse and hopelessness. That formula incorporates three pillars: housing, counseling and careers. The product: Youth who are stable and able to rise to life’s challenges and opportunities.

Today, SAY, the principal organization serving at-risk kids in Sonoma County since 1971, has recently renovated the old Sutter Warrack Hospital in Santa Rosa re-purposing this idle community asset into the SAY Finley Dream Center. The Dream Center has become part of SAY’s family of services, which also include a teen shelter, drop-in center, youth apartments, street outreach team, in-school mental health care, grief services, and a robust career services programs.