Xochtil Larios was only 16 when she found herself behind bars and caught up in the criminal justice system. She was already in prison for a year when she first encountered a Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ) advocate. What CURYJ (pronounced “courage”) discovered was that Larios was actually eligible to be paroled months before, but because her family on the outside was unhoused, the authorities kept her “behind the wall” (the organization’s idiom [...more...]
In response to the tragic unintentional shooting death of 15-year-old Ethan Song in Connecticut, Ethan's Law was introduced in Congress to ensure safer storage practices for firearms. The legislation would mandate that gun owners securely [...more...]
Giving List Matching Challenges
Youth Development
How can we ensure young people have healthy, promising futures? By giving them the resources, relationships, and environments that support […more…]
Sherry “Dusty” Harris was a single mother raising three daughters in a subsidized housing complex in the Western Addition of […more…]
Soccer and poetry may seem like an unusual pairing, but America SCORES Bay Area knows it’s a magical mix with […more…]
Well Being & Health
Bembe* – a 32-year-old father and husband – experienced severe physical and emotional violence in Guatemala because he is Maya […more…]
Peninsula Volunteers, Inc. (PVI) was founded over 76 years ago in Menlo Park by a group of forward-thinking women in […more…]
At 2 am, the phone rings at the Contra Costa Crisis Center. A 15-year-old boy, voice trembling, reaches out. He […more…]
Getting the Message Out
Rhett Ayers Butler describes himself as a lucky child. With collected airline miles from his father’s job and a travel […more…]
Maty Thiane was a 14-year-old teenager from Senegal when she was uprooted from all she knew and loved and moved […more…]
Fostering Care
“What appeals to me so much about A Home Within is the kind of person that makes the commitment to […more…]
Sarah Gentle was 17 and in foster care when she had a meeting with her Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team. […more…]
Emergency Services
How many times has a family stared in slack-jawed wonder as the adorable new family dog tears around and around […more…]
Direct Relief navigates the war zones in Ukraine to deliver cystic fibrosis medications, transports Mpox vaccines to clinics in the […more…]
Santa Barbara-based Direct Relief has been awarded the 2025 Seoul Peace Prize for its longstanding humanitarian work in delivering medical resources to […more…]
Education
“Your life won’t work out if you don’t do well in school.” “You’re a disappointment or a failure if you […more…]
In Berkeley, a city known for its resources and progressive values, 1 in 3 students face socio-economic barriers, contributing to […more…]
Imagine a high school student in the 90th percentile or higher of their class who is enthusiastic about learning and […more…]
Advocacy
Since its founding in 1978, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) has been at the forefront of criminal justice […more…]
In response to the tragic unintentional shooting death of 15-year-old Ethan Song in Connecticut, Ethan’s Law was introduced in Congress […more…]
There is only one thing Brady: United Against Gun Violence (Brady) Chief Development and Engagement Officer Liz Dunning wants you […more…]
A Helping Hand
A mom in East Palo Alto went to jail for stealing diapers; her kids went to foster care. According to […more…]
Xochtil Larios was only 16 when she found herself behind bars and caught up in the criminal justice system. She […more…]