We’re so proud to support and partner with some of the most deserving and worthwhile non-profit organizations, all of which are dedicated to improving the lives of young people. Stars & Stripes takes care of the vetting process, looking closely at how our partners are spending their funds, as well as making sure that the dollars we are gifting are going towards a specific project.
Big Brothers Big Sisters believes every young person is born with potential—but too many face obstacles they can’t navigate alone. For more than 120 years, BBBS has created life-changing mentoring relationships that help youth build confidence, resilience, and brighter futures. Mentoring is a proven solution to disrupt generational cycles of poverty and trauma. BBBS Littles are 20% more likely to enroll in college and earn 15% more over their lifetime, and every $1 invested returns $18 to society.
In 2025, BBBS supported more than 4,000 young people with mentorship and vital wrap-around services, stepping in when families need it most and connecting them with essential resources. Support from the Stars & Stripes Foundation helps BBBS match even more young people on our waitlist with mentors who empower them to overcome adversity and thrive. Together, we are igniting potential and shaping the next generation of leaders.
Orangewood Foundation and Samueli Academy are grateful to be part of the Stars and Stripes community. Thanks to the funds raised through Stars & Stripes, more than 70 young adults have participated in Orangewood’s Lyon Workforce Academy (LWA), connecting young people to living-wage career pathways at 15+ Orange County companies. With Stars and Stripes generous support, Orangewood Foundation is able to support youth with comprehensive work based learning experiences, job shadowing opportunities, resume building support, internships, and more. In addition, Orangewood Foundation’s Samueli Academy proudly offers a world class, innovative education that increases high school graduation rates and college attendance for all students, including youth in foster care, providing youth with the tools they need to thrive.
We are honored to partner with Starts and Stripes in creating meaningful opportunities and brighter futures for youth and young adults in Orange County.
Miracles for Kids stands beside families with critically-ill children facing the unimaginable — fighting to save their child’s life while battling bankruptcy, homelessness, hunger, and depression. Through Stars & Stripes support, these families found refuge at our Miracle Manor apartment complex. Families are provided a lifeline by donating vital funds to pay essential bills to keep the lights on, put food on the table, and gas in the car to travel to the hospital for life-saving treatments. For all of this—and so much more—we are profoundly grateful and honored to have partnered with Stars & Stripes for the past 17 years.
In 2025, Miracles for Kids has helped stabilize 543 families by paying 2,735 essential bills, delivering 1,671 packages of necessities, and affording 28,567 safe nights’ sleep. Together, we have walked hand in hand with families during the most difficult season of their lives, helping them endure with hope, strength, and compassion.
For nearly 50 years, Casa Youth Shelter has provided emergency shelter and crisis support for youth facing homelessness, abuse, neglect, family conflict, and moments when safety and stability are suddenly out of reach. Their shelter and counseling programs help more than 4,000 youth and parents each year find safety, stability, and the tools they need to heal. Thanks to the partnership with Stars and Stripes, Casa Youth Shelter is expanding access to mental-health and family-counseling services—allowing us to increase our services by 25% each year, completely free of charge and without the barriers or waitlists so many providers face. When a youth or parent reaches out, help is immediate, compassionate, and accessible. This increased capacity means earlier intervention, stronger family communication, and fewer crises that lead to traumatic outcomes—empowering families to resolve conflict, strengthen relationships, and move forward together.
For the past three years, Stars & Stripes has been the backbone of Merge Opportunities’ growth and impact. Their early belief in our mission gave us the runway to build something powerful: a workforce nonprofit that helps system-impacted and underserved young adults secure real jobs, real skills, and real second chances.
With their support, Merge has grown from an idea to a full ecosystem of employment readiness, paid work experience, mentorship, and apprenticeship pathways. Together, we’ve now supported more than 500 young adults—connecting them to living-wage jobs, industry-recognized training, and employers who believe in potential over pedigree.
Stars & Stripes didn’t just fund a program; they invested in people. Their partnership helped us launch key initiatives, deepen our reach across Southern California, and create lasting economic mobility for the youth we serve. We are here today because they chose to stand with us.
For more than 55 years, Project Youth OC has been a trusted resource for young people and families across Orange County. Their mission is to meet young people at a turning point and, through guidance, education, and family-centered support, empower them to build a path toward success.
Through three core programs, Project Youth OC serves more than 1,500 youth and families each year across Orange County. They work closely with law enforcement, juvenile court, community-based organizations, and school district partners to intervene early, help youth avoid involvement in the justice system, and connect them to education and career opportunities that can shape what comes next.
In 2025, 96% of Shortstop participants did not recidivate, 83% decreased their substance use, and 82% maintained or improved their mental health. Additionally, 100% of Project Self participants identified their career field. Support from the Stars & Stripes Children’s Foundation will allow Project Youth OC to reach more young people at the moment when the right intervention can change the direction of their lives.
SBCS has been transforming San Diego communities to support the well-being and prosperity of children, youth and families for more than 50 years. Their flagship program, Mi Escuelita, is a therapeutic preschool for children ages 2-5 who have been traumatized by family violence. Mi Escuelita opened in 2006 with the capacity to serve 45 students and has expanded to serve up to 96 children and families each year.
The on-going support of Stars and Stripes has allowed SBCS to decrease student to teacher ratios to better address the trauma families have experienced; and in 2025, SBCS was able to expand services to include slots for two-year old students. After nearly 20 years our goal remains the same – to allow our youngest victims to heal, thrive and enter kindergarten ready to learn.
Every year approximately 140 youth age out of the foster care system in OC. Most of these youth experience high rates of homelessness, incarceration and institutionalization.
YLR takes former foster youth (ages 18-25) off the streets & puts them on a path to stability through intensive, comprehensive and long-term supportive services including trauma-informed mental healthcare, substance use treatment, sustainable housing, secondary and post-secondary education, vocational programming, job training and living wage employment.
Stars & Stripes support has enabled YLR to (1) hire their first female case manager to serve their female youth, most of whom have been sex-trafficked and/or subjected to domestic violence, and (2) master lease a four unit, eight bed facility to provide supportive transitional housing for youth in our program who are transitioning from the treatment to the independent living stages of their program.
