What Lend A Hand Foundation does

Lend A Hand Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity (Tax I.D. 94-3293372) founded in 1997 and headquartered at 8393 Capwell Drive, Suite 220, Oakland, California. The organization provides educational support, health and wellness resources, and basic needs assistance to underserved children, youth, families, and seniors in Oakland, Alameda County, and the broader Bay Area. Its flagship Stay In School Program has distributed over 173,000 hand-packed educational supply kits since inception, with 13,000+ distributed in 2025 alone, reaching students through direct partnerships with Oakland Unified School District, Berkeley, Emeryville, and San Leandro school systems.

The foundation operates a portfolio of complementary programs including a Scholarship Program (over $75,000 in cumulative awards to high school seniors and community college students, including Peralta Community College District EOPS and Laney College learning communities), Community Closets serving approximately 1,200 students regularly, the Joy of Giving winter holiday initiative (25th year in 2024), and Family Essential Support for year-round emergency assistance. Revenue is generated entirely through donations, corporate sponsorships, and event fundraising — there is no commercial product or fee-based service. Donations are accepted via GiveLively, PayPal, Zelle, and Stripe, with event ticketing processed through PayBee. The organization is led by Founder and Executive Director Dee Johnson, supported by a Board of Directors, Advisory Board, and Project Leadership Council, with a staff of 11-50 employees and a volunteer-driven operational model.

The foundation is preparing for its 29th year of operation in 2026, with stated growth targets of 15,000-25,000 students served in 2026 and 30,000-45,000 in 2027 (30th anniversary), supported by the newly announced Adopt a Student/Adopt a School Program. The annual Stay In School Awards Gala serves as the primary fundraising vehicle, and the organization maintains recognition through founder Dee Johnson's 2024 Alameda County Women's Hall of Fame induction and KRON 4-TV media coverage.

Name

Lend A Hand Foundation

Legal name

Lend A Hand Foundation

Website

https://lendahandfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lend A Hand Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1997 that provides educational supply kits, scholarships, community closets, and basic needs support to underserved children, youth, and families across Oakland and Alameda County, California, distributing 13,000+ kits in 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Charitable Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Educational supply kits
• Student scholarships
• Community basic needs
• Holiday giving program
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals made via GiveLively, PayPal, or Zelle platforms. One-time and monthly recurring donation options available at preset amounts ($25, $50, $100, $250) or custom amounts.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support Stay In School Program and annual gala events through financial contributions and in-kind donations (e.g., Kaiser providing bags, Target providing prep work assistance).
3. Event Revenue: Stay In School Gala ticket sales and sponsorship packages. Gala scheduled for April 24, 2026 at Scott's Seafood Restaurant in Oakland.
4. Gift Donations: Designated gift program where donors contribute $50 to provide age-appropriate gifts for children or teenagers in need.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lend A Hand Foundation is a public charity (501(c)(3), Tax I.D. 94-3293372) that distributes hand-packed educational supply kits to underserved students, awards scholarships to high school seniors and community college students, operates community closets providing clothing and basic needs, and runs seasonal giving programs such as the Joy of Giving holiday initiative and 25 Days of Giving. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries in Oakland, Alameda County, and the Bay Area, funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and event ticket sales.

Product overview

Lend A Hand Foundation is a public charity (Tax I.D. 94-3293372) offering a portfolio of interconnected programs serving underserved children, youth, and families in Oakland/Alameda County since 1997. The core offerings center on educational support: the Stay In School Program provides educational supply kits to students countywide, the Scholarship Program awards financial aid to high school and college students, and Community Closets provide clothing and basic needs. These educational programs are complemented by the Joy of Giving Initiative (winter/holiday support including turkey giveaways and gift distribution) and Family Basic Needs Support services. The organization mobilizes community involvement through Volunteer Programs, a Project Leadership Council for young professionals, and an annual Stay In School Awards Gala. The Adopt a Student/Adopt a School initiative enables targeted sponsorship of individual students or entire schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stay In School Program Flagship educational support program providing hand-packed school supply kits containing notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, and other essential supplies to underserved students. Kits are distributed directly to schools including Oakland Unified School District, Berkeley, Emeryville, San Leandro, and the McKinney Vento Program. Over 173,000 kits distributed since 1999.
• Scholarship Program Program awarding scholarships to high school seniors and junior college students demonstrating academic excellence, community involvement, and financial need. $500 awards for high school seniors with 2.5+ GPA. Over $75,000 in total scholarships provided. Expanded in 2024-2025 to include Laney College learning communities: Puente, ROC, and Umoja-UBAKA.
• Community Closets

Quantifiable outcome

• 173,000+ educational supply kits distributed since foundation inception
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and secondary.

• KaiserminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 November 2024Donated bags for the 2024 Turkey Drive and 25 Days of Giving initiative kickoff at Cypress Mandela Training Center.
• TargetminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 November 2024Provided prep work support for the 2024 Turkey Drive event.
• Cypress Mandela Training CenterminorOthers · 23 November 2024Venue partner for 2024 Turkey Drive kickoff event in Oakland.
• Laney College (Puente, ROC, Umoja-UBAKA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Expanded scholarship program starting 2024-2025 academic year to include Laney College learning communities: Puente (Latinx literature focus), ROC (formerly incarcerated students), and Umoja-UBAKA (African and African American student success).
• Peralta Community College District EOPScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership with Extended Opportunities Programs and Services supporting students facing language, social, and economic challenges including single parents, foster youth, and undocumented/DACA students. LAHF has awarded $28,000 in memorial scholarships through this partnership since 2021.
• Oakland Unified School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership supporting underserved students in Oakland through educational supply kit distribution, community closet services, and school-site distributions. Foundation works closely with OUSD as a primary beneficiary partner.
• San Leandro SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with San Leandro schools for educational supply kit distribution as part of Stay In School Program serving students throughout Alameda County.
• Berkeley SchoolssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerBerkeley schools included in educational supply kit distribution program serving multiple cities in Alameda County.
• Emeryville SchoolssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmeryville schools included in educational supply kit distribution program.
• Alameda County Resource GuidesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner providing external resources. LAHF serves as referral source to other organizations and connects families with partner non-profits for additional assistance.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Reading Partners: National nonprofit mobilizing volunteer tutors to support early literacy for underserved students in under-resourced schools, with Bay Area programs. Comparable volunteer-driven educational support model focused on low-income students.

Direct peers

• United Way Bay Area: Bay Area federated giving organization that distributes donor contributions to local programs addressing education, housing, and basic needs. Comparable as a community fundraising/grantmaking model serving overlapping Bay Area populations.
• Oakland Public Education Fund: Oakland-based nonprofit that mobilizes resources for Oakland Unified School District students through direct programs, donations, and school partnerships. Closely comparable to LAHF's Stay In School Program and Oakland USD partnership model.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland: Oakland youth-services nonprofit providing after-school programs, educational support, and basic needs to underserved children and teens. Comparable as a multi-program community organization serving Oakland youth through donations and volunteers.
• East Bay Community Foundation: Community foundation serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties with grantmaking, scholarships, and donor-advised funds. Directly comparable as a community-focused grantmaking and educational support organization operating in the same Oakland/East Bay service area.
• College Track: National nonprofit supporting underserved students from high school through college completion with academic programming, scholarships, and basic-needs support. Comparable mission in educational equity for first-generation and low-income students, with overlap on scholarships and wraparound support.
• YMCA of the East Bay: East Bay YMCA operating youth development, education support, food assistance, and community programs in Oakland and surrounding cities. Comparable as a multi-program community organization serving underserved youth and families through donations and volunteers.

Broad incumbents

• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: One of the largest community foundations in the U.S., serving the broader Bay Area with grantmaking, donor-advised funds, and education initiatives. Comparable as a Bay Area community foundation but at materially larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• California Community Foundation: Los Angeles-based statewide community foundation providing scholarships, grants, and donor-advised funds for education and community development. Comparable in function (scholarships and grantmaking for underserved communities) but with statewide and national scope.
• San Francisco Foundation: Historic Bay Area community foundation supporting education equity, economic opportunity, and community grants across the region. Comparable in mission (community-focused grantmaking for underserved populations) but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lahf1997

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Lend A Hand Foundation