What Promises2Kids does

Promises2Kids Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in San Diego, California, founded in 1981 (originally as the Child Abuse Prevention Foundation of San Diego County, rebranded in 2009) that provides a portfolio of direct social services to current and former foster youth in San Diego County. Its program suite includes Camp Connect (a residential summer camp and monthly activities reuniting siblings separated in foster care, serving 261 youth annually), Guardian Scholars (higher education scholarships, mentoring, and case management for former foster youth with an 80%+ completion rate versus 8% nationally), Foster Futures (launched January 2025, providing $1,000 monthly housing stipends and intensive case management for up to 50 transition-age youth ages 18-30), a Mentoring Program (launched 2024 for children ages 5+), Foster Funds (extracurricular and special-occasion financial assistance serving 274 youth last year), and individual mental health therapy with licensed therapists added in 2022. The organization also holds a structural partnership with San Diego County operating the Polinsky Children's Center emergency shelter, which it raised $12 million to build and gifted to the county in 1994 and which serves over 1,000 children per year. Cumulatively, Promises2Kids has served more than 200,000 children and distributed nearly $25 million for the care and protection of abused and neglected children since inception.

The organization employs 64 staff and operates from a single San Diego headquarters, relocating to a new Mission Valley campus in 2026 that will consolidate trauma-informed mental health services and add an early childhood education and family support center. All programs and services are provided free of charge to foster youth and their families; the organization is 100% philanthropy-funded with no government service contracts. Its revenue model is a diversified mix of five streams: individual donations (one-time and monthly giving), corporate partnerships and event sponsorships (Southwest Airlines as Official Airline since 2014, ESET since 2015, Mission Federal Credit Union, Farmers Insurance, US Bank, ICW Group, SDGE, The Century Club), foundation grants (San Diego Foundation, San Diego Women's Foundation, Prebys Foundation, Lucky Duck Foundation, David C. Copley Foundation, Ticket to Dream Foundation), planned/legacy gifts via the Promising Futures Legacy Circle, and special-event fundraising (Dream On Concert Gala, Foodies 4 Foster Kids, FORE KIDS Golf Tournament, Distilled events, Holiday Gift Drives). Customer-facing technology is limited to a marketing/transactional website (promises2kids.org), Classy donation portal, and standard social media channels; there are no proprietary technology products, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities.

Strategically, the organization has pivoted from a founder-driven child abuse prevention advocacy body (1981-2008) to a multi-program direct-service operator, with a 2025-2026 emphasis on scaling transition-age youth support through the co-founded $5 million United for Youth collaborative (with Lucky Duck, Prebys, and Copley Foundations uniting 40+ partners) and a physical expansion via the Mission Valley campus. Its go-to-market motion is community-led: donations, volunteer mentors, and corporate partnerships are activated through website, email, social, media coverage, and signature events. Leadership is led by CEO Tonya Torosian (MSW, CFRE), with COO Stephanie Segal Ortega (MA), CPO Valerie Centeno (LMFT), and interim CAO Dani Dawson (JD, MBA), and is governed by an independent Board of Directors. The organization has no parent company, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or institutional equity investors.

Name

Promises2Kids

Legal name

Promises2Kids Foundation

Website

https://promises2kids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Promises2Kids Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 that delivers foster youth programs in San Diego County, including Camp Connect, Guardian Scholars, Foster Futures, Mentoring, and Foster Funds, serving roughly 2,000 current and former foster youth annually through philanthropy-funded direct services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foster Care Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Foster care services
• Nonprofit child welfare
• Youth education support
• Sibling reunification programs
• Homelessness prevention services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through one-time and monthly giving programs, with options to donate via the organization's website giving portal.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsors provide financial support through event sponsorships, program sponsorships, and volunteer engagement (e.g., Southwest Airlines as Official Airline, ESET, Mission Federal Credit Union, Farmers Insurance, US Bank, ICW Group).
3. Foundation Grants: Promises2Kids receives grants from foundations including San Diego Foundation, San Diego Women's Foundation, Prebys Foundation, Lucky Duck Foundation, David C. Copley Foundation, and Ticket to Dream Foundation.
4. Planned Giving/Legacy Gifts: The organization accepts planned gifts through wills, living trusts, qualified retirement plans, charitable remainder annuity trusts, charitable lead trusts, and life insurance beneficiary designations through its Promising Futures Legacy Circle program.
5. Special Events Fundraising: Annual events include the Dream On Concert Gala, Foodies 4 Foster Kids restaurant partnership events, FORE KIDS Golf Tournament, Distilled events, and Holiday Gift Drives that raise funds and awareness.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Promises2Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that directly delivers a portfolio of free programs to current and former foster youth in San Diego County, including Camp Connect (residential summer camp reuniting siblings separated in foster care), Guardian Scholars (higher-education scholarships and mentoring for former foster youth), Foster Futures (homelessness prevention with $1,000 monthly housing stipends and case management for ages 18-30), Mentoring (one-on-one and group mentorship for children ages 5+), and Foster Funds/Something Special Fund (financial grants for extracurricular activities, birthdays, and college applications). All programs are provided at no cost and are funded entirely through philanthropic donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Promises2Kids is a nonprofit organization serving foster children in San Diego County, not a technology product company. Its offerings consist entirely of social service programs aimed at supporting foster youth through various life stages. The organization does not develop, sell, or license technology products or software. Its programs include: Camp Connect (reuniting siblings separated in foster care through residential summer camp and monthly activities), Guardian Scholars (higher education scholarships and support for former foster youth), Foster Futures (homelessness prevention with monthly stipends and case management), Mentoring (matching foster children with mentors for personal development), and Foster Funds (providing financial assistance for special needs like sports equipment, music classes, and extracurricular activities).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Camp Connect A free residential summer camp program (with monthly activities) that reunites and maintains bonds between siblings separated by the foster care system; serves 261+ foster youth annually in the San Diego area and reports 87% sibling-contact-maintenance and 90% happiness-at-reunion outcomes.
• Guardian Scholars A free higher-education support program providing scholarships, mentoring, college-preparation support, and case management for former foster youth in San Diego County; reports over 80% higher-education completion among participants compared with 8% nationally.
• Foster Futures A free homelessness-prevention program for former foster youth ages 18-30 in San Diego County, providing intensive case management, a $1,000 monthly housing stipend, and wraparound supports; reports 83% post-secondary education completion among participants.
• Mentoring Program A free one-on-one and group mentoring program that matches foster children ages 5 and older with volunteer mentors for personal development, educational support, and life-skills building.
• Foster Funds (Something Special Fund) A free direct-financial-assistance fund that provides foster youth with resources for normal childhood and adolescent experiences, including sports equipment, music lessons, prom attire, college-application fees, and birthday celebrations; served 274 youth in the past year.
• Polinsky Children's Center Operations Operations of the Polinsky Children's Center emergency shelter under partnership with San Diego County, providing shelter, protection, and support for more than 1,000 abused and neglected children each year; the center was built and gifted to the county by Promises2Kids' predecessor organization in 1994.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80% of Guardian Scholar participants complete higher education, compared to only 8% nationally
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Southwest AirlinesflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerSouthwest Airlines has been the Official Airline of Promises2Kids since 2014. They provide free airfare for foster youth for college tours, holiday travel home, staff training, and fundraising events. Southwest sponsors the Junior Guardian Scholars program and Dream On Concert Gala.
• Mission Federal Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support through sponsorships and community partnership.
• Farmers InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing event sponsorship and community support.
• US BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorships.
• ICW GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing community support and sponsorship.
• Independent Financial GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing financial support and sponsorships.
• SDGE (San Diego Gas & Electric)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner providing community support and sponsorship.
• The Century ClubcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner associated with Farmers Insurance Open, providing community support.
• Lucky Duck FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of United for Youth collaborative with Prebys Foundation and David C. Copley Foundation, a $5 million countywide initiative uniting 40+ partners to prevent homelessness and support current and former foster youth.
• Prebys FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of United for Youth collaborative with Lucky Duck Foundation and David C. Copley Foundation, a $5 million countywide initiative uniting 40+ partners to prevent homelessness and support current and former foster youth.
• David C. Copley FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of United for Youth collaborative with Lucky Duck Foundation and Prebys Foundation, a $5 million countywide initiative uniting 40+ partners to prevent homelessness and support current and former foster youth.
• ESETcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner since 2015, providing scholarships, mentors, event sponsorship, and over 200 hours of volunteer support. ESET senior leadership serves as mentors for Guardian Scholars students.
• Foster Youth Pre-College Collective (tFYPC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromises2Kids is a member of this collective of six leading California foster youth service organizations serving 3,000+ students annually with a combined 88.2% high school completion rate.
• San Diego CountyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with San Diego County to operate the Polinsky Children's Center and support foster care services. The organization raised $12 million to build the center and gifted it to the county.
• HomeAid San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CAPF (now Promises2Kids) and YMCA Youth & Family Services to open Mary's House, North County's first transitional living program for former foster youth in 2002.
• YMCA Youth & Family ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CAPF (now Promises2Kids) and HomeAid San Diego to open Mary's House, North County's first transitional living program for former foster youth in 2002.
• Just in Time for Foster YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPromises2Kids served as the initial fiscal agent to help launch Just in Time, which later grew into a separate nonprofit entity supporting foster youth transition to adulthood.
• KGTV/San Diego's Channel 10coreGTM or Marketing PartnerStarted Team10 Foster Fund with Union Bank of California in 2001 to fund college or technical training for former foster youth, which evolved into Guardian Scholars.
• 40+ Partner Organizations (United for Youth)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited for Youth brings together more than 40 organizations using a shared, data-informed approach focused on jobs, stable housing, and mentoring. Expected to support more than 500 transition-age youth over two years.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Voices for Children: San Diego nonprofit recruiting and training Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) for foster youth. Operates in the same San Diego foster-care ecosystem as Promises2Kids, often partnering or co-serving the same beneficiary population of abused and neglected children in San Diego County.
• HomeAid San Diego: San Diego nonprofit builder of housing for the homeless and at-risk populations, including transitional housing for former foster youth. Co-partnered with Promises2Kids (then CAPF) and YMCA to open Mary's House, North County's first transitional living program for former foster youth in 2002.
• San Diego Youth Services: San Diego-based nonprofit serving at-risk youth including foster youth, homeless youth, and those involved in juvenile justice. Provides housing, counseling, and education support across San Diego County in close geographic and demographic overlap with Promises2Kids.
• Just in Time for Foster Youth: San Diego-based nonprofit supporting foster youth transitioning to adulthood with housing, education, and basic needs. Promises2Kids served as Just in Time's initial fiscal agent, indicating deep operational overlap in serving transition-age foster youth in San Diego County.
• Tickets to Dream Foundation: National nonprofit providing gifts, scholarships, and support to foster children, including a 'Dream It's Possible' grant program. Direct funding partner of Promises2Kids' Guardian Scholars and operates comparable scholarship/support programs for foster youth nationwide.

Regional players

• Monarch School: San Diego K-12 school serving students impacted by homelessness and trauma, including many current and former foster youth. Operates in the same San Diego beneficiary overlap as Promises2Kids' San Pasqual Academy/Guardian Scholars educational programs.

Emerging players

• Foster Youth Pre-College Collective (tFYPC): California-based coalition of six leading foster youth service organizations serving 3,000+ students annually with a combined 88.2% high school completion rate. Promises2Kids is a member; comparable mission around higher education success for foster youth across California.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County: Mentoring-focused nonprofit that matches youth with adult mentors, including foster youth. Directly comparable to Promises2Kids' Mentoring Program launched in 2024, with overlapping program model (mentoring for at-risk youth) and overlapping San Diego County service area.

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Club of San Diego: Large San Diego youth development nonprofit providing after-school programs, mentoring, and education support to local youth including foster children. Broader youth-development footprint that occasionally overlaps with Promises2Kids' mentoring and educational support programs.
• United Way of San Diego County: Regional United Way affiliate funding dozens of social service and youth programs across San Diego County, including foster youth supports. Acts as both a potential funding source for Promises2Kids and a comparable umbrella/grantmaking organization serving overlapping populations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Promises2Kids
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/promises2kids
• Facebookfacebook.com/Promises2Kids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/promises2kids
• Instagraminstagram.com/Promises2Kids

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Promises2Kids