About

Forty years in one neighborhood, and we're not going anywhere.

Hope Horizon East Palo Alto started in 1984 as Bayshore Christian Ministries, born out of a few Stanford students who believed this community's young people deserved someone in their corner. Four decades later, that's still the whole idea.

Our story Read student stories

Rooted at 1001 Beech Street, East Palo Alto, CA

Our mission

Hope and a future for East Palo Alto's youth.

Since 1984, we have equipped east-of-Bayshore youth to grow spiritually, gain life skills, and develop as leaders, so they have hope and a future.

See the case for Hope Horizon

Our vision

Young people with hope, purpose, and marketable skills who give back to their communities and carry their faith forward.

Our work

A community youth development organization running afterschool and summer programming for students TK through 12: academic tutoring, STEM and robotics, mentorship, camp, and college scholarships.

The reality we serve

This is why the work matters.

More on the neighborhood we serve and how it got here: our community, East Palo Alto.

80%

of local district students qualify for free or reduced lunch

12%

met state standards in English (2024-25)

93%

of students we serve are Hispanic or Black

Open Door Scholars we are cheering on in college

The first three numbers are the gap. The fourth is what we do about it.

Our 40-year legacy

From seven Bible clubs to a youth development organization.

Read our full 40-year story

1983–84

A handful of Stanford students, inspired by civil-rights leader Dr. John Perkins, commit to serving East Palo Alto's children. Thirteen launch seven neighborhood Bible clubs.

1987–88

Bayshore Christian Ministries incorporates as a nonprofit. The first three staff raise the first budget of $40,000. High school fellowship, summer learning, and scholarships begin.

1993–94

Programs grow fast: tutoring, mission trips, summer enrichment, a teen jobs program, and a community newspaper published by students.

2000–01

The organization moves into its own facility at 1001 Beech Street, still home today.

2012–13

EPA Fellows launches. Fifteen students earn college scholarships, and the EPA Chica Squad places top 20 in the Technovation Challenge and is featured in Google's Made With Code.

2018–21

The first First Robotics Competition team takes the field, the Field of Hope is built and inaugurated in 2021, and programs hold steady straight through the pandemic.

2022

Bayshore Christian Ministries becomes Hope Horizon East Palo Alto. The new name signals an open door to hope, opportunity, and a future, and a deepened commitment to this community.

What we believe

A Christian organization, and an open door.

We are a Christian organization, and we have been since 1984. That shows up as caring adults who stay, mentors who walk with a kid through the hard years, and a belief that every student here is made for more. Our tutoring, robotics, and camp are open to every family. Families of every background and belief are welcome here, and always have been. Faith is offered, never required.

There are no ordinary people.You have never talked to a mere mortal.
C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Holistic

We meet real needs, not just spiritual ones. Reading, food, mentorship, a safe place after school.

Relational

Since 1984, we've built a deep, abiding presence with the youth of EPA and their families. We stay.

Collaborative

We work alongside churches, volunteers, donors, and local organizations. We don't do this alone.

Teachable

We stay open to new ideas and willing to adapt in order to serve our community better.

Rooted in relationships

With students, families, volunteers, partners, and God. Those relationships are the work.

Celebrating diversity

We enjoy the variety of cultures, backgrounds, and churches in our community and reflect it in who we are.

Our team

The people who show up every day.

Josie

Executive Director

Nirvana

Chief of Staff

Eric

Development, donations, and communications

Ariana

Director of Programs

Leslie

Spiritual Life

Ana

Elementary Program Manager

Lani

Teen Program Manager

Roberto

Facilities

Nicole

Volunteerism

Iris

Scholarships

Ethel

Honorary Head of Security

Our program team

Michael

Elementary Classroom Leader

Inoke

Teen Classroom Leader

Tatiana

Elementary Classroom Leader

Lilly

Elementary Classroom Leader

Khalik

Elementary Classroom Leader

Board of Directors

The people who steward the mission.

Juan Valencia

Chair

Mike Reisler

Treasurer

Adrienne Taylor

Secretary

Kiwoba Allaire

Chair, Development Events

Arne Lim

Member

Jane Chiang

Member

Financials & governance

We show our work, every year.

We also publish how we keep students safe. Read our child safety commitments.

Trust is earned, especially with money. Hope Horizon prepares audited financial statements and files a Form 990 every year, and we have stewarded this community's generosity responsibly for four decades. Ask us for any of it and we will send it over.

Where your money goes

Programs for studentsOperations & fundraising

Hope Horizon East Palo Alto is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN 77-0151434. Founded 1984 as Bayshore Christian Ministries.

Read the 2025 impact report

See Hope Horizon in the news

Audited financial statements

FY24 Audit PDF on request FY23 Audit PDF on request FY22 Audit PDF on request FY21 Audit PDF on request

IRS Form 990

2023 Form 990 PDF on request 2022 Form 990 PDF on request 2021 Form 990 PDF on request 2020 Form 990 PDF on request

Email eric@hopehorizonepa.org to request any of these documents, along with our safeguarding policy, code of conduct, or background-check standards. We will send them over.

Need them today? Email us for the latest audit and 990

Forty years in. Just getting started.

Be part of the next chapter for East Palo Alto's young people.

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