DONATE
We rely on the generosity of individuals, organizations, and businesses to fuel our mission. Your donations help us to continue providing essential educational opportunities to underserved youth, opening doors to a world of possibilities.
Please review our donation + sponsorship options, or scroll down to see a quick overview of our impact during the last school year!
Donate Online
Your donation, in any amount, helps us make a difference in our students' lives. Thank you!
Give By Mail
Please make checks payable to Youth Champions, Inc. and mail to:
Youth Champions, Inc.
1201 N. Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
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$1,000 (300 Available)
Our students can earn up to $1,000 for participating in the program. This provides an incentive for students to engage in learning and see the benefits of personal growth. -
$6,500 (24 available)
Our 24 weekly workshops are evenly split into 6 units on Critical Thinking, Business Skills, Financial Literacy, Character/Communications, Goal-Setting/Planning, and Positive Mindset. -
$10,000 (4 available)
Our field trips give our students meaningful opportunities to engage with industry professionals and gain new perspectives on future careers. These unique experiences include transportation, venue rentals, chaperones, programming, materials, and meals. -
UCLA Ropes Course, Junior Achievement Finance Park & Graduation
(Sponsored by Maureen and Mike Mekjian)
$16,000 (3 available)
These unique hands-on field trips give our students meaningful opportunities to overcome challenges and work together in solve problems. These experiences include transportation, venue rentals, chaperones, programming, materials, and meals. Also includes one celebratory graduation event for our top seniors! -
$33,000
Our Alumni Leadership Institute connects our alumni to opportunities to continue to learn and grow even after graduation from our program. -
$15,000
For alumni and current students featuring personal development books and facilitated bi-weekly breakout sessions with volunteers from various professional backgrounds. This covers the cost of alumni and student stipends and organizing and presenting each session. -
$30,000
Our Facilitator’s Institute, under the direction of expert mindset coach, Jim Madrid, creates a world class way for our Facilitator’s to learn and grow along with our program. -
(Sponsored by the Vera R. Campbell Foundation)
$15,000
A series of six guest speakers, including entrepreneurs and authors, available for students, their family members, alumni, and the community to participate in.
2023–2024 School Year Impact
The 2023-24 school year was an exciting year of growth and change with Youth Champions’ transition into a paid educational internship model. One goal from the previous academic year was to increase the number of students taking part in the program and to increase student retention.
Due to the program’s new recruitment efforts, Youth Champions reached full capacity within four days of opening the application. The program was also opened to students outside of Youth Champions participating schools and utilized platforms like LinkedIn to recruit students.
To earn the educational stipend, students had to meet their participation hours through attendance at workshop sessions, Go and See educational days, and engagement with three assigned class reading materials. More than 250 students participated with 166 students earning a stipend up to $1,000 each; totaling nearly $123,800 in stipends given by the program this past year.
OUR IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS
Youth Champions focuses on helping youth develop important life skills such as critical thinking, professional networking, the basics of finance, and a positive personal outlook not often focused on in school settings. Since inception, we have reached more than 1,125 students! The program aims to continuously offer opportunities that will help students discover their leadership potential through mentorship and learning experiences such as exposure to a variety of universities, trade schools, and careers.
40% of our students are returning champions
We've partnered with over 60 high schools
Introduced to Summer Book Club tracks with 4 books read
We went on 6 field trips during this school year
87% of YC graduates are pursuing higher education
$123,800 distributed in students stipends in 2023-24
166 received full or partial stipends in 2023–24
We Launched the Summer Book Club
This summer, Youth Champions launched a personal development book club, attracting 97 student signups! This includes 61 students for Level 1 and 36 students for Level 2 (returning students).
To enhance the book club experience and ensure its success, 21 of our Level 2 students are actively supporting Level 1 participants as Helpers by leading breakout room sessions. Additionally, 7 dedicated volunteer facilitators from diverse professional backgrounds are also assisting with breakout rooms for Level 2 students, enriching the learning environment and fostering meaningful interactions.
Students read 5 books including:
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Procrastination Priority
Teaches the ability to transform a frequent source of stress—procrastination—into a person’s greatest asset to get ahead in their goals.
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The Four C’s Formula
The 4 C’s Formula is a process centered on commitment, courage, capability and confidence to help individuals achieve success in life.
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Your Life as a Strategy Circle
Encourages individuals to stop seeing obstacles as negative, and start using them to achieve their vision for the future.
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The Gap and The Gain
Helps individuals gain confidence by encouraging them to look at their past selves and the progress they have made rather than comparing themselves to an ideal.
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The Go-Giver
Shift your focus from getting to giving. The book encourages readers to focus on creating value for others, which will in turn bring success and fulfillment.
Donor Recognitions
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our biggest champions whose unwavering support has made a lasting impact, transforming the lives of underserved youth through education.
$300,000 +
Anonymous #1
$100,000 - $299,999
The BF Foundation
Vera R. Campbell Foundation
Cambria & Jack Cline
Sheila, Dave and Sherry Gold Foundation
Maureen & Mike Mekjian
$50,000 - $99,999
Kenneth T. & Eileen L. Norris Foundation
Renaissance Charitable Foundation
$20,000 - $49,999
Elise Cortes
Castulo de la Rocha | AltaMed Health Services
Richard Gomez
The Friese Foundation
Vida Private Wealth
$10,000 - $19,999
Anonymous #2
Anonymous #6
Bertha Aguirre
Don & Christine Borelli
Jim & Lauren Harger
Jennifer Lahoda
Lisa & Doug Marshall
J Martin
Bob Smiland
Vernon CommUNITY Fund
$1,000 - $9,999
Anonymous #7
Apple Inc.
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Scott M. Biehl
Diane & Bill Bloom
Claudia & Doug Cline
Joan & Jack Cline
Michael Dolphin
Peter Drake
Brian Dror
Filo America
Steven Freed
Bruce Gabbai
Pam & Steve Hirsh
James & Leilani Hosking
Peggy & J Hosking
Jeff Jones
Justman Packaging & Display
Joshua & Shulamit Klein
Vien Le
Tk McWhertor
Tony Morales
Gary Mottershead
Pacific Industrial Partners, LLC
Brian J Patrick
Jackie Robles
Lee Schwartz
Andrew Thayer
Vernon Chamber of Commerce
Mt. Vernon Industrial LLC
Lars Viklund
Up to $999
Anthony Addessi
Anonymous #3
Anonymous #4
Anonymous #5
Anonymous #8
Anonymous #9
Anonymous #10
Jesse Allen
Pablo Asencio
Patrick Bainbridge
David Bales
Saretta Berlin
Rachel Bethancourt
Mark Borman
Chad Brey
Stanley Buckles
Evan Childs
Vincent Cortes III
The Crail-Johnson Foundation
Ryan Crownholm
Kerith Leslie Dilley
Bryan Dinh
John Dobrott
Helen Durand
Laura & Timothy Durand
Michelle Durand
Jamie Evans
Matthew J Eddy
Sebastian Espinosa
Corey Franco
K Denille Franco
Trey Fricke
Matthew Fujikawa
Celestino Garcia
Bryant Gavello
Heriberto Gonzalez Jr.
Melanie Guillen
Craig Hagglund
Kathy Hall
Blake Hon
Stewart Hsieh
Amanda Hu
Lauren Johnson
Evan Jurgensen
Jeff Kaplowitz
Howard B King
Paul Klahr
Priyanka Kumar
Elizabeth Kwak
Lee & Associates Calgary Inc.
Katherine Lui
Martin Family Trust
Candy Martin
Sarah Martin
Tom Martin
Josh McHugh
Lou Mercado | LMG International LLC
Catherine Michaels
Brandi Milloy
Kent Miyamoto
Jeffrey Moeller
David Moran
Jenny Morgan
David Mutschler
Tony Naples
Sandra E Norian
Kelsey Oglesby
Fanny Oliveira
Doug Pittman
Michael & Linda Poleselli
Sarah Procopio
Ebe Puyolt
Jeffrey Rinkov
Arthur Rothberg
Danielle Sabrina | Society22 PR
Lai Saelee
Shiellah Jane Sara
Rodney Stone
Sandeep Sukhija
Michael Sullivan
Sydney Tang & Everette Phillips
Clint Throop
Michelle Toh
Boone Tucker
Alexa Vallejo
Richard Ward
Morgan & Aaron Westbrook
Yossi Zaga
Alexander Zhang
*As of March 2026