The Focus Fund - Results of Spring Kickoff

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." — Lao Tzu

Dear Friend,

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for believing in the students we serve and for stepping up during our 2026 Spring Focus Fund campaign.

This spring, we shone a light on a simple but powerful truth: many of the young people we support don’t have a quiet, comfortable place to study at home. Their living spaces are often crowded and noisy—full of distractions that make it incredibly hard to focus, even when they’re eager to succeed in school.

That’s why we created the Focus Fund: to provide practical tools that help block out the chaos and create space for learning. Things like noise-canceling headphones and refurbished Chromebooks—nothing fancy, just reliable resources that make a real difference in a student’s ability to do their work and stay on track.

Thanks to your generosity, we’re able to equip more students than we could have otherwise. Every gift mattered, and many of you gave more than once. Your support is already helping young people create the focus they need to learn and grow. On behalf of every student whose path just got a little easier, I am deeply grateful.

While we didn’t reach our full $25,000 goal, the progress we made is meaningful—and it fuels our determination. We will help every student we can right now, and we remain committed to expanding this support over time. There are roughly 20,000 underserved students in the San Francisco Unified School District, and our long-term vision is to give each of them the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in school and in life.

Your partnership makes that vision possible.

Would you consider becoming a recurring donor?
Steady, monthly gifts provide the stability we need to plan ahead and respond quickly to students’ needs, rather than constantly chasing one-time funds. We only run three campaigns a year because we’d much rather spend our time serving students than asking for money. If you’re able, I sincerely invite you to join our recurring donor community.

We also invite you to get involved.
Urban Angels SF’s impact continues to grow, and we’re always looking for caring adults and teens who want to make a hands-on difference. Whether you have skills in technology, organization, leadership, or program support—or simply a big heart and reliable commitment—there’s a place for you.

To explore volunteer opportunities, I encourage you to connect with our wonderful Director of Community Engagement, Vic Becket. She’d be delighted to have an informal conversation about what might fit your schedule and interests. You can schedule a time here.

It is truly an honor and a pleasure to walk this path with you. Together, we’re giving underserved students dignity, hope, and a real chance to thrive.

Very truly yours,

Nelson Barry
President, Urban Angels SF

P.S. “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” — Nelson Mandela