Mission Statement

Founded in 1991, we have guided hundreds of low-income students into colleges like UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Davis, MIT, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc. with the financial and emotional support they need.

Many promising low-income middle school students do not believe that higher education is a realistic option either due to family’s socio-economic status or other disruptive circumstances in their lives, and so they cease striving for academic success when they enter high school.

Mentoring promising students throughout high school is the primary focus of the San Mateo Youth Foundation (SMYF).  Our modest scholarships, given to graduating 8th graders and other activities are designed to facilitate positive high school experiences and opportunities for the SMYF to provide guidance. After guiding hundreds of students on to excellent colleges, the SMYF is now blessed with a core group of the best, most socially responsible and community minded SMYF alumni who have become mentors to the current high school students.  Our mentors are multi-ethnic, multilingual, successful college students and young professionals who have succeeded despite facing the same sorts of problems our current high school students must overcome.  Our mentors are the perfect role models and community leaders that we hoped to develop when the program began.