Young people living in San Francisco’s public housing communities are exposed to serious challenges that often prevent them of reaching their full potential. Gang violence, drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and dropping out of school are all risks that these children encounter simply as a result of where they live.

Since 2004, City of Dreams has served young people between the ages of 10 and 14 who live in San Francisco’s low income housing. Guided by a bold vision to end the generational poverty cycle in the city’s most challenged neighborhoods, City of Dreams offers an innovative two-year mentorship program. Participating young people are challenged to reach their highest potential through 60+ Experiential Learning Events every year that are based on 12 life lessons. These events require participants to solve problems, overcome fears, work as a team, try new things, explore creativity, embrace support, and identify their options. Throughout, trained mentors help the kids “connect the dots” between what they encounter and the life lessons embedded in the events.

This project will directly support City of Dreams’ Events Programming, allowing the currently enrolled 87 youth and 86 mentors to participate in 60 annual Experimental Learning Events. Events include: Rock Climbing, visiting Slide Ranch Organic Farm, Sailing with Call of the Sea, Golfing with First Tee, and Camp Choice, a week-long self-esteem summer camp. As part of these events, participating children will focus with their mentors on the life lessons of trust, teamwork, responsibility/accountability, respect, hope, love without limits, integrity, gratitude, choice, self esteem, contribution, and resilience.

San Francisco’s public housing communities are home to 12,000 people. In areas such as Hunter’s Point, Hunter’s View, Sunnydale, Oakdale, and Alice Griffith, young people face difficult conditions and serious temptations. 1 in 4 of the youth living in San Francisco’s low income areas graduate from high school and the teen birth rate in these neighborhoods is twice as high as the California’s state average. Kids are exposed to gangs, drug abuse, and related violence every day.

City of Dreams is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to providing San Francisco’s most at-risk kids with the positive experiences and skill-building they need to avoid drug use, violence, truancy and teen pregnancy. Since 2004, City of Dreams has paired children living in the Bay Area’s public housing with year-round, dedicated mentors. These mentors become a source of significant support for participating children. Together, mentors and children concentrate on 12 essential life lessons by participating in 60+ experiential learning events each year that are designed to build the kids’ developmental assets.

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Direct Impact of Your Project

All of City of Dreams’ events create a safe and fun learning environment so that 15 mentors and 30 mentees can creatively solve problems together, learn the importance of trust, give support, and learn the value of teamwork, among other life lessons. These events are a great opportunity for youth to learn how to take risks and try new things in a healthy, supportive environment.

Extended Impact on Your Partner Community

City of Dreams’ specially-designed program is dedicated to providing adolescents with the tools they need to become positive young adults capable of contributing to their communities and pursuing their highest potential. As part of this effort, the Experiential Learning Events will encourage 87 children to develop their own sense of direction, independent of peer pressure and other external forces that can be pitfalls to healthy development. Past participants have demonstrated the remarkable success achieved by City of Dreams’ program and this project will ensure that 87 kids are also able to achieve these results so they can face life with courage, joy, and a commitment to building a better world.