“Bridge Builders Foundation doesn’t just help young men—they prepare them for life. My child has gained confidence, character, and the college readiness skills he needs, backed by a network of mentors who genuinely care about his success.”
— Parent of BBF Scholar
September 1, 2025
In today’s America, the divide between the haves and the havenots isn’t just economic—it’s structural. For youth born into the lowest-income households, the road to upward mobility is narrow and uneven, shaped by systems that have historically excluded and overlooked them.
At Bridge Builders Foundation, we believe that delivering services alone isn’t enough. True impact demands long-term vision, shared accountability, and the courage to reimagine systems. That’s why we don’t just run programs—we build platforms for transformation. Our work is grounded in change management and powered by culturally responsive STEM education and social-emotional learning. These aren’t just academic tools—they are levers for self-discovery, economic mobility, and generational progress.
Each year, through our Saturday Science Academies, marine science camps, and Thriving Under the Influence youth development initiatives, we provide more than 400 hours of immersive engagement. We now deliver recurring programs to over 700 youth and unduplicated services to more than 1,500 young people annually—and the demand continues to grow. Our forward goal is clear: to expand our reach and impact even more lives.
Students build relationships with mentors, experience life on college campuses, and explore realworld STEM opportunities. But the real outcome is internal: stronger confidence, broader vision, and the belief that their future holds promise.
As an emerging and entrusted community-based organization, we also recognize our responsibility to “lift as we climb.” Equity cannot flourish in isolation. We are committed to empowering smaller nonprofits, grassroots leaders, and isolated changemakers—especially those serving areas that are too often ignored. Strengthening this broader ecosystem of impact is essential to sustainable change.
We’re not just cultivating outcomes—we’re nurturing environments where students, families, and entire communities can grow together. That means fostering belonging, opportunity, and leadership beyond the walls of our own organization. Equity is not a one-time event—it is a movement. And progress demands intention, innovation, and relentless follow-through. Thank you for being a part of this journey. Together, we are not only shaping lives—we are building a blueprint for enduring community transformation.
With purpose and appreciation,
James Breedlove
James Breedlove President, Interim Executive Director Bridge Builders Foundation
Our Mission
Bridge Builders Foundation exists to advance social mobility and empower youth and communities to realize their fullest human potential.
Our Vision
We envision a future where all young people have the opportunity, confidence, and support to pursue their goals, lead with purpose, and contribute to thriving communities. Through strong partnerships and innovative programming, we are building an ecosystem of excellence—a connected network of learning, mentorship, and opportunity that supports long-term success.
What We Do
Bridge Builders Foundation offers a year-round portfolio of out-of-school time programs designed to engage youth and families through:
• STEM and STEAM enrichment
• Youth leadership and mentoring
• College and post-secondary readiness
• Workforce development and career exposure
• Family engagement and community uplift
Our work is culturally responsive, relationship-driven, and grounded in the belief that every student deserves access to opportunity and excellence.
Programmatic Goals
• Promote academic growth and STEM achievement
• Build confidence, identity, and leadership capacity
• Expand access to college and career pathways
• Connect youth with caring mentors and role models
• Foster a sense of agency, belonging, and purpose
From Saturday Science Academies and marine science camps, to college ambassador initiatives and mentorship programs, BBF delivers more than programs—we build an ecosystem of excellence that surrounds youth with the people, tools, and opportunities they need to thrive.
Core Values
• Equity in Access – Removing barriers and meeting students where they are
• Empowerment Through Opportunity – Providing resources to grow and succeed
• Excellence Without Exception – Holding high standards in all we do
• Integrity in Action – Leading with humility, transparency, and purpose
• Legacy & Community Uplift – Creating generational impact through service
In 2023–2024, Bridge Builders Foundation advanced its mission with measurable success and strategic growth. We concluded the year with gross revenues surpassing $2.4 million, demonstrating financial momentum and increased investor confidence. Importantly, over $2.1 million was directed toward programmatic impact, with 80% of expenditures going to BIPOC-led vendors, affirming our commitment to equitable investment.
We served more than 1,500 youth, with over 700 engaged in recurring programs. These sustained touchpoints across mentoring, STEM, and youth development solidify our role as a trusted provider in underserved communities. Our programming footprint spanned 10 school site partnerships and over 20 strategic collaborators—ranging from universities to grassroots CBOs to national corporations— expanding access and deepening impact.
Our operations were supported by a dedicated volunteer corps of over 60 individuals, who contributed more than 4,100 hours of volunteer service. That level of relational capital is a hallmark of programs that are not only effective but also embraced. Students collectively received more than 350 hours of structured, high-impact engagement a meaningful indicator of our content’s depth and consistency.
These performance indicators are more than internal metrics—they are sector-recognized benchmarks of nonprofit health and mission delivery. Gross revenue and program allocation reflect strong fiscal stewardship. Participation metrics reflect trust and relevance in our communities. Volunteer contributions and partnerships reflect scalability, community buyin, and the strength of our collaborative model.
Looking ahead, our two-year goals are ambitious, yet necessary:
To our board members and funding partners: your commitment is helping to shape the infrastructure of opportunity. Together, we are not only improving outcomes—we are building systems of equity and models for what’s possible. The work ahead will take even more innovation, investment, and shared leadership— and we are ready.
OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME (OST) programs are a critical, yet often underfunded, component of youth development, particularly for young people in under-resourced communities. These programs provide safe, structured, and enriching environments during the high-risk hours after school and on weekends, when youth without access to opportunity are most vulnerable to disengagement, learning loss, and exposure to harm.
In neighborhoods facing persistent systemic inequities—including poverty, disinvestment, and limited access to school or recreational infrastructure—OST programs are often the only accessible spaces where youth can engage with caring adults, explore their identity, strengthen academic and emotional skills, and connect to future-oriented pathways.
Research from The Wallace Foundation and others underscores that culturally relevant OST programming—particularly those that
incorporate mentorship, social-emotional learning, and academic reinforcement—has lasting effects on youth engagement, school success, and life outcomes. However, the youth who stand to benefit the most often face the steepest barriers to participation, including cost, transportation, and lack of localized offerings.
High-quality OST programs are defined by several key features: regular and high-dosage engagement, youth-centered and culturally affirming curricula, integration with school and community ecosystems, and access to mentors and trusted adults. These programs succeed when they are rooted in community voice and supported by a consistent infrastructure of funding, evaluation, and partnerships. And yet, while the need is most pronounced in historically marginalized communities, sustained public investment remains limited and often short-term or fragmented. This is a policy issue.
To scale what works, public agencies, school districts, philanthropy, and policymakers must treat OST as an essential service, not an optional enrichment. Policy must reflect the following priorities:
• Sustainable funding models that support multi-year implementation, staffing, and infrastructure development;
• Cross-agency collaboration to align efforts between education, mental health, juvenile justice, and youth development sectors;
• Equity-focused resource distribution that prioritizes communities with the highest barriers to opportunity;
• Support for trusted community-based organizations that already serve youth but often lack the capital to scale their impact.
Organizations like Bridge Builders Foundation (BBF) in Los Angeles County demonstrate what is possible when OST programming is consistent, community-rooted, and aligned with evidence-based practices like the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets and Positive Youth Development frameworks. BBF’s partnerships with LAUSD, LBUSD, Ready to Rise (a collaboration between LA County Probation and the California Community Foundation), and the California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) position it for a leadership role in a broader ecosystem of care that can scale equitably—if given the right support.
The path to closing equity gaps in education and opportunity doesn’t run solely through school hours—it extends through after-school hours, weekends, and summers. To ignore OST in policy is to miss one of the most powerful levers for social change we have.
Bridge Builders Foundation’s Thriving Under the Influence (TUI) Mentor and Youth Development Initiative is a dynamic, culturally responsive program designed to empower high school students, both boys and girls, through intentional mentoring. Rooted in the principles of Positive Youth Development (PYD) and informed by the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets framework, TUI fosters resilience, purpose, and leadership by surrounding youth with a layered ecosystem of support.
The initiative delivers weekly or bi-weekly small-group sessions at school sites and in communitybased settings. Each session lasts approximately 90 minutes, offering a mix of guided learning, open dialogue, and culturally grounded activities. TUI employs a dual-layered mentorship model that engages both seasoned professionals and near-peer college student mentors to create safe, relatable, and empowering environments for young people.
TUI is more than just a mentorship program—it’s a gateway into a broader system of care, opportunity, and belonging. The program integrates social-emotional learning through a culturally relevant lens, encouraging students to explore identity, build confidence, and develop the emotional tools needed to thrive in academic and life settings.
Bridge Builders Foundation proudly implements TUI as a funded initiative under Ready to Rise, a countywide effort supported through the Los Angeles County Probation Department in partnership with the California Community Foundation (CCF). BBF is also a recipient of California Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) funding for delivering evidence-based, community-rooted programming that reflects statewide best practices.
BBF is a vendored and approved provider with both LAUSD and LBUSD, and has previously partnered with Compton USD and Lynwood USD, demonstrating a track record of trust, impact, and relevance across educational systems. Currently, over 300 youth participate in TUI mentoring, with plans to grow that number to 500+. In total, BBF serves more than 700 youth annually, and reaches over 1,500 youth through unduplicated program participation.
Due to high demand, several school sites are currently waitlisted, underscoring the need to expand capacity and funding. Teachers, students, and community partners regularly affirm the program’s positive impact—from stronger school engagement to increased emotional resilience and selfefficacy.
BBF has also developed internal evaluation and outcome tracking tools with guidance from Loyola Marymount University and Imoyase Community Support Services, ensuring quality, accountability, and data-driven growth.
TUI is not just about mentoring—it’s about reimagining what’s possible when youth are affirmed, connected, and equipped to thrive.
To sustain its global leadership, the United States must invest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and build a workforce that is diverse, skilled, and prepared for the future. STEM careers fuel innovation and economic growth, yet access to these opportunities remains unequal. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports that only 18% of Black students score proficient or above in STEM, and students from economically disadvantaged households perform nearly 30 points lower than their peers. These disparities underscore the urgent need for programs that create equity and spark authentic engagement with science.
The Bridge Builders Foundation (BBF) meets this challenge with two transformative initiatives: the Saturday Science Academy and the Marine Science Program. Together, these programs provide more than 200 hours of instruction annually and have impacted over 1,000 students by opening doors to academic achievement and career pathways in STEM.
The SATURDAY SCIENCE ACADEMY, held from January to July at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), immerses students in life, physical, and earth sciences. Instruction is led by minority and women professors, practitioners, and mentors who reflect the students’ own aspirations. Learning extends beyond the classroom through corporate partnerships with organizations such as American Honda Motor Company, Metro, Southern California Edison, Hitachi, and Infineon. These connections give students practical insight into how STEM applies to the real world, while fostering confidence and a sense of belonging in fields where representation matters.
THE MARINE SCIENCE PROGRAM builds on this foundation through three immersive summer residential camps:
• USC Wrigley Marine Science Center (Catalina Island): A three-day introduction to marine ecosystems and sustainability.
• UCSD/Scripps Institution of Oceanography: A five-day program combining laboratory research, fieldwork, and mentorship with leading scientists.
• CSU Monterey Bay with Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station and MBARI: A fiveday exploration of Monterey Bay’s unique marine environment through advanced marine biology and ocean research.
These experiences connect students to worldclass research and the college environment, inspiring them to see themselves as future scientists and innovators.
Research shows that STEM success often begins outside the classroom—only 13% of students attribute STEM knowledge to teachers, while nearly 20% report teaching themselves. For communities of color, informal and experiential learning is vital. BBF responds to this need with programs that pair rigorous instruction with authentic engagement, dismantling stereotypes, and empowering students to pursue STEM with confidence.
Through strong partnerships with universities, corporations, and the community, BBF ensures that its students are not only learning science, but living it—building the next generation of diverse STEM leaders.
The Bridge Builders Foundation (BBF) has a multi-layered, start-to-finish program to support college-bound African American males. Each year, BBF selects a group of approximately 50 high school seniors based on academic achievement, civic involvement, community service, and financial need. These students receive the following services throughout their college experience:
Scholars are encouraged to give back through volunteerism with the BBF programs, as well as other local and school organizations. Community service is one criterion for initial and recurring renewal scholarships. Mentors help students identify local community service opportunities. These activities support BBF efforts to change the narrative for African American males.
• Scholarships (Over $200,000 in 2024, over $1.5 million since inception)
• Mentoring, Coaching, Career and Collegiate Support
• $2,500 in the first year and $1,000 for the next three years ($5,500 commitment)
• Over 150 Students are in our pipeline at colleges across the nation.
• 6-Year College Completion Rate exceeds 75% (twice the national average, higher than any other cohort across all race and gender)
Bridge Builders Foundation (BBF) employs ethnic minority high school students as Youth Ambassadors to provide classroom support, mentoring, and tutoring for elementary students during Saturday school, during, and after school. The Youth/College Ambassador program provides BBF mentor program students leadership opportunities, employment experience, financial resources, and structured civic engagement. Bridge Builders Foundation hopes to develop educator identities for Black youth and provide youth with hands-on exposure to educators and pedagogical techniques and strategies.
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EXECUTIVE TEAM
James Breedlove President
Melvin Jackson Jr. Vice President
Phillip Dunn
Secretary
Reginald Gentry Treasurer
Wayne Moore
BOARD DIRECTORS
Alvin Trotter Jr.
Bernard Jefferson
Drake Dillard
Duane Hale
ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
Brian Butts
Charles Bray Jr.
Charles Franklin
Chris Thomas
Donald Mahoney
Eddie Conner
STAFF MEMBERS
Ayanah Shabazz
Charles Saunders
Immediate Past President/ Board Director
Earl Jones Jr.
Gerald Milfort
Theodore Irving
Thomas Dowdy Jr.
Westley Sholes (Director Emeritus)
William Dillard
William Smith
Frank Harris
Jimmy Harris
Les Powell
Michael Pinkett
Milton Coleman Nathan Smith
Norman Ward
Ronald Jones
Ronnie Walker
Thomas Meade
William Baxley
Drew Reid Jessye Head
Joshua Abrams
William Rochester
COLLEGE AMBASSADORS/ YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL
Aaron Lorenzana CSU Long Beach
Matthew Jefferson Howard University
Jonathan Choyce Morehouse
Junious Bell III Morehouse
Jeremiah Daniels Morehouse
Elijah Bradley Morehouse
Jania Dixon North Carolina AT&T
Bryce Drake Pepperdine
Mia Crockett Spellman
Ahrian McNeil UC Berkeley
Jeremiah Perez UC San Diego
John Butler UC Santa Barbara
Eden Grant UC Santa Barbara
Jailyn Johnson UCLA
Wyatt Lewis UCLA
Tracy Logan USC
Kyle Bowman USC
Cassey DeCastro USC
Bradli Powell USC
Dylan Scott USC
Noah Ford USC
