SAY San Diego

What SAY San Diego does

SAY San Diego (legally Social Advocates for Youth San Diego) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1971 that operates more than 30 programs across six categories: Family Support, Preschools and Extended Learning Programs, Youth Development and Advocacy, Health Navigation and Mental Health Support, Community Development, and Workplace Childcare Consulting. The organization serves children from infancy through grade 8, youth and adults needing health support, parents and caregivers, military families, new arrival and refugee populations, and justice-involved individuals across San Diego County. Program delivery occurs through licensed childcare sites, 42+ San Diego Unified School District school sites, 8+ family resource centers, and community-based locations spanning the county.

The organization's technology stack is standard nonprofit service delivery infrastructure with no disclosed proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or SDKs. Programs are human-delivered: licensed childcare and preschools, K-8 before/after school care (including the free state-funded PrimeTime program), summer and spring break camps, school-based mental health therapy, harm reduction education and Naloxone distribution, fatherhood programs (Dads Corps), financial literacy and direct financial assistance, and convening of prevention coalitions and youth advocacy coalitions.

Revenue mechanics are mixed: government grants and contracts from federal, state, county, and school district sources form the largest stream (County of San Diego, First 5 Commission, HHS, DOJ, CDPH, CDSS, SDUSD PrimeTime); fee-based licensed childcare at $173-$593 per month per family generates tuition revenue; free programs (PrimeTime) are state-subsidized; and an individual/corporate/foundation donation layer supplements operations, activated through events like the annual Play 4 SAY fundraiser. With 100+ employees and an estimated $25M-$50M annual operating budget, the organization reaches 30,000-35,000 San Diegans annually and has served more than 2 million cumulatively over its 50+ year history. Louie Nguyen assumed the CEO role on February 3, 2025, succeeding Nancy Gannon Hornberger.

Name

SAY San Diego

Legal name

Social Advocates for Youth San Diego

Website

https://saysandiego.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SAY San Diego is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating 30+ programs across early childhood education, youth development, family support, mental health, harm reduction, and community development, serving 30,000 to 35,000 San Diegans annually across San Diego County since 1971.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community and Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child Care Services (62441)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Child and family services
• Youth development programs
• Before and after school care
• Community mental health services
• Substance abuse prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Contracts: Major funding from County of San Diego (Behavioral Health Services, Child Welfare Services, Childhood Obesity Initiative, Community Action Partnership, Office of the District Attorney, Probation Department), First 5 Commission of San Diego, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Administration for Children and Families, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), U.S. Department of Justice, California Department of Public Health (Tobacco Control Branch), California Department of Social Services (Office of Child Abuse Prevention). State funding through San Diego Unified School District.
2. Fee-based Childcare and Extended Learning Programs: Tuition-based before/after school care at licensed sites with monthly payment schedules (10 payments per year). Fee-based summer camps, spring break camps, and STEAM programs. Sliding fee scale options available.
3. Individual and Corporate Donations: Donations from individuals, corporate partners, and foundation grants. Legacy gifting, tribute gifts, donations of stock or cryptocurrency. Corporate social responsibility partnerships with workplace giving programs.
4. PrimeTime Free Programs: Free before and after-school programs funded by State of California through San Diego Unified School District PrimeTime funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SAY San Diego (Social Advocates for Youth San Diego) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers over 30 distinct programs across early childhood education, before- and after-school care, youth development, family support, mental health counseling, substance abuse prevention, and community development. Services are delivered at 42+ school sites, multiple family resource centers, and licensed childcare facilities across San Diego County, reaching over 30,000 San Diegans annually.

Product overview

SAY San Diego is a nonprofit social services organization offering over 30 distinct programs across six main categories: Child and Youth Development (before/after school programs, preschools, summer camps, Early Childhood Center), Family Support (First 5 Steps, Family Resource Centers, Economic Empowerment, Direct Financial Assistance), Youth Development and Advocacy (City Heights Youth Advocates, North Central Youth Leadership Programs, The Collective Coalition, Youth Unite, Parent Student Resident Organization), Health Navigation and Mental Health Support (School-Based Mental Health Services, Viewridge Wellness Center, Harm Reduction Education), Community Development (Family Resource Centers, Military Family Resource Center, City Heights Clean and Safe Coalition), and Prevention Programs (San Diego Smoke-Free Project, North City Prevention Coalition, Naloxone Distribution). The organization serves children, youth, adults, families, and communities with a whole-person, whole-family, whole-community approach. Key signature programs include the Wellspring Initiative for mental wellness, Play 4 SAY annual fundraiser, Light Our Way scholarship campaign, and San Diego Dads Corps. Services are delivered through licensed sites, school partnerships, family resource centers, and community-based locations across San Diego County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Collective: A coalition that unites to safeguard the San Diego LGBTQ+ community from the harm of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, empowering individuals and creating supportive, sober-friendly spaces and intersectional resources.
• Wellspring Initiative
• Dads Corps
• PrimeTime
• Camp STEAM
• Camp Move

Products and services

• Before & After School Programs (Licensed Extended Day Programs)

Quantifiable outcome

• Served over 30,000 children, families, and community members annually across San Diego County
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• San Diego Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor partner for PrimeTime before/after school programs, school-based mental health services, and family resource centers. SAY operates programs at 42+ school sites through SDUSD partnership.
• County of San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$1M+ funder through multiple departments: Behavioral Health Services, Child Welfare Services, Childhood Obesity Initiative, Community Action Partnership, Office of the District Attorney, Probation Department.
• Your Safe Place - A Family Justice CenterkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpecial partnership for Economic Empowerment program providing free financial education to victims of domestic violence, elder abuse, sexual assault, and sex trafficking.
• The Lighthouse CommunitykeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrug rehabilitation facility where SAY engaged fathers in Dads Corps program.
• San Diego LGBT Community CenterkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with The Collective LGBTQ+ substance use prevention coalition; reached 900 people across 12 events.
• TransFamily Support ServiceskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with The Collective LGBTQ+ substance use prevention coalition.
• San Diego LGBTQ+ Latine CoalitionkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with The Collective LGBTQ+ substance use prevention coalition.
• North County LGBTQ Resource CenterkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with The Collective LGBTQ+ substance use prevention coalition.
• San Diego PridekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with The Collective LGBTQ+ substance use prevention coalition.
• Playwrights ProjectkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerCreative partnership producing 'Other People's Kids' play about meth addiction impact on San Diego families.
• Intrepid Theatre Co.keyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for 'Exiled Voices: The Refugee Art Experience' program with Crawford Community Connection.
• UC San Diego School of MedicinekeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with SDPD and SAY on teen DUI prevention program (TREDS program).
• San Diego Police DepartmentkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UC San Diego and SAY on teen DUI prevention and prescription drug take-back programs.
• A New PATHkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubcontracted partner providing overdose prevention training and naloxone distribution (39,000+ individuals trained, 3,518 reversals reported).
• Project AWAREkeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubcontracted partner providing community-based resources for youth and families facing challenges.
• Partners4WellnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded collaborative partnership.
• San Diego Wellness CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded collaborative partnership.
• SBCSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded collaborative partnership.
• Vista Community ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded collaborative partnership.
• Tosso.comkeyGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial game sponsor for Play 4 SAY annual fundraiser; 10% of Tosso.com sales donated to SAY with promo code SAYSD.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• United Way of San Diego County: San Diego County-wide nonprofit that funds and convenes multiple youth, family, and community services. Comparable as a regional community services convener and funder, though focuses on grantmaking rather than direct service delivery.
• Casa de Amparo: San Diego County nonprofit providing residential treatment, foster care, and child abuse prevention services. Comparable in child welfare, family support, and trauma-informed care for vulnerable youth in the same region.

Direct peers

• San Diego Youth Services: San Diego nonprofit providing mental health counseling, substance abuse prevention, juvenile diversion, and support for at-risk youth and families. Highly comparable in behavioral health and youth services focus.
• Promises2Kids: San Diego County nonprofit serving foster youth, at-risk children, and child abuse prevention with residential programs and the Polinsky Children's Center. Comparable in child welfare, at-risk youth, and prevention focus.
• YMCA of San Diego County: Large San Diego County nonprofit operating licensed childcare, before/after-school programs, summer camps, youth development, and family services across the same geography as SAY. Both serve working families and youth with overlapping program lines.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County: Youth mentoring nonprofit serving at-risk San Diego youth with one-to-one mentoring and school-based programs. Comparable in youth mentoring, positive youth development, and San Diego focus.
• Voices for Children: San Diego nonprofit providing court-appointed special advocates and support for foster children. Comparable in child welfare advocacy, mentoring, and San Diego County focus.
• Boys & Girls Club of San Diego: San Diego youth development nonprofit providing after-school programs, summer camps, mentoring, and teen services at multiple club locations. Directly comparable in youth-focused programming and San Diego County geography.

Emerging players

• Jewish Family Service of San Diego: San Diego nonprofit providing mental health counseling, refugee services, family support, and senior services. Comparable in mental health navigation, refugee/immigrant services, and family support programs across the same geography.
• San Diego LGBT Community Center: San Diego nonprofit providing LGBTQ+ youth programs, substance use support, and community services. Directly comparable as SAY's primary The Collective coalition partner, with overlapping LGBTQ+ youth and harm reduction programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCa-agdY_oOosPRadeh1G_IQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SAYSanDiego
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saysandiego
• Instagraminstagram.com/say_sandiego
• Xx.com/saysandiego1971

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SAY San Diego