With collaboration and support from friends across the county in 2019, SBCS helped families build strong foundations, inspired the next generation and assisted individuals and communities in reaching their fullest potential. Here is a snapshot of what we achieved together with our partners and community last year:

We celebrated four cohorts of Resident Leadership Academy graduates in Chula Vista, Imperial Beach and San Ysidro. These 109 community members actively engaged in issues including public safety, civic engagement and overall health and well-being to positively impact their communities.

Together with school districts, local government agencies, nonprofits, health services and businesses, we launched the San Diego Promise Neighborhood to implement solutions to provide a clear and viable pathway to college and career success to nearly 47,000 children and families who call the Barrio Logan, Logan Heights and San Ysidro communities home.

We hosted the End Child Poverty Bus Tour kick-off rally to advocate for action on the child poverty crisis. California has the highest number of children and highest percentage of children living in poverty of any state in the nation.

We provided specialized education and therapeutic services for 125 children ages 3-5 who have been traumatized by domestic violence and their families at Mi Escuelita Therapeutic Preschool. Mi Escuelita also expanded into a fourth classroom to serve even more students and celebrated its graduating class of 2019 in June.

More than 100 youth involved in the foster or juvenile justice systems or experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity participated in the Learn and Earn to Achieve Potential (LEAP) program to enhance academic, life and career skills. 2019 participants interested in exploring the health care field had the opportunity to attend a four-week medical pathways program offered in partnership with Kaiser Permanente.

The SBCS team responded to 698 calls for emergency response from law enforcement with in-person advocacy and support for those experiencing domestic violence. In October, we also hosted a Rally to End Domestic Violence together with partner organizations to empower, support and educate survivors of domestic violence.

We participated as a proud beneficiary of the 23rd Annual Stars and Stripes Tournament in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, that raised more than $3.7 million to support children’s programs like Mi Escuelita.

829 families were served through the Alternatives to Detention program, which helps at-risk youth overcome barriers and stay in school via community-based and family-supported alternatives for those who do not require secure detention in order to reduce days detained and likelihood of future contact with the justice system.

We raised more than $200,000 to benefit children and families impacted by violence and abuse at our 20th Annual Change Their Lives Gala.

Over 60,000 individuals received access to food and more than 500 Thanksgiving turkeys were provided to local families with support from the Office of Senator Ben Hueso and the Dying Breed Social Club.

We granted holiday wishes for more than 400 local families, including over 1,000 children, through our annual Hope for the Holidays program.

Help us continue our mission in 2020.