WHAT WE DO
We are dedicated to raising and distributing funds to underprivileged teens through a teen sponsorship program. Working with most high schools and youth-based organizations in San Diego, we interview hundreds of students each year in order to identify high-achieving, low-income students with potential in academics, athletics, and/or the arts.
FINANCIAL SPONSORSHIP & MENTORSHIP:
Once we have found that the student will be a good fit for our Sponsorship Program, we start the process of trying to match that child with a sponsor. If successfully matched, the students will receive financial support of at least $1,000 provided by their sponsor. This money can be used to purchase items that relate to academics, athletics and/or the arts. Additionally, the student will be immediately eligible to participate in all of our other programs. These programs include our SAT/ACT preparatory classes, college tours we host on both coasts, both academic and standardized test tutoring, access to a professional resume writer and a person who helps with their college applications, college scholarships, and much more. In addition, soon after the sponsorship starts, all students are provided with a laptop if they do not already have one.
COLLEGE CAMPUS TOURS:
ABFK offers East Coast and West Coast college campus tours, which allows teens to visit schools that they would otherwise not be financially capable of touring. Currently, we offer 2 West Coast trips, one visiting Southern California colleges, and one visiting Northern California campuses. The East Coast trip visits many Ivy League colleges from the Mid-Atlantic area to New England. The schools on the itinerary vary each year, as we customize each trip to cater to all of our students’ requests.
SAT/ACT PREPARATORY PROGRAM:
Most of our teens have a strong GPA but lack the financial resources to take preparatory classes for the college entrance SAT and ACT tests. This puts them at a competitive disadvantage during the college application process, as they are competing against peers that have been tutored and prepped specifically for these tests. ABFK has partnered with Revolution Prep to provide our teens with access to an online college preparatory course with the intent of “leveling the playing field” for our students when sitting for these exams.
TUTORING PROGRAM:
We believe that maintaining a strong GPA is paramount when applying to the colleges of a student’s dreams. Therefore, we offer financial support for academic tutoring to our sponsored teens who need extra help. We work in concert with the student’s school to find an appropriate tutor within their system and arrange for a session that meets both the student’s and tutor’s schedule. If the school is not able to work directly with us, the student can work with a teacher or counselor to secure a tutor. Progress is monitored; and provided the student complies with requirements, tutoring is ongoing until the extra help is no longer needed.
College Application Counseling:
All of our students have a story to tell; and, if articulated effectively, it can give them a competitive advantage over their peers when applying to colleges. Our College Application Counseling allows our students the opportunity to separate themselves from the crowd with an impressively prepared application and an engaging, thoughtful, and well-written admissions essay. about their success in the face of adversity, but articulating that to a stranger is no easy task.
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS:
Every year we give out college scholarships to students who have continually excelled academically, athletically, and/or artistically. In 2022 we gave out $30,000 in college scholarships. This alleviates some of the financial burdens of attending college and allows our students to do what is best for themselves academically, without the intimidation of cost. Funds awarded can go towards anything from college tuition to textbooks, housing, dorm essentials, and more.
INTERNSHIP INITIATIVE:
A recent and ongoing program we are proud to have started is our Internship Initiative. We noticed a high demand for students wishing to pursue computer science. As a result, we developed an internship program with ServiceNow in order to help train our students on the basics of coding. In this program, our students first learn to code. They are then tasked with developing an app that solves a real-world problem they have seen/faced in their day-to-day lives. We hope to develop more internship opportunities with other companies to broaden the tangible work experiences we can offer to our students.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS:
We have partnered with Vertical Hold Rock Climbing Gym in San Diego and Los Angeles-based personal trainer (and ABFK alumni) Brianna Diaz to help set the foundation for our new Health and Wellness Program.
While still in its infancy stage of development, the goal of this initiative is to teach the importance of leadership, teamwork, staying active, proper nutrition, and a healthy diet. A Bridge for Kids has other outdoor initiatives in the pipeline, such as beach cleanups, ice skating, surf camp, and much more.
“My sponsorship has increasingly helped me in school with a purchase of a computer and has overall made my life a lot easier. Before, I had to stay after school to work on papers…..The sponsorship allowed me to pay for rugby season that we didn’t have any money for.”
Jacob, Escondido High School – Class of 2019