Lightbulb Challenge
Explore Lightbulb Challenge photos from DCYF grantees whose names begin with C–I.
City Surf Project
We ensure Bay Area youth have equitable access to the ocean through surf instruction. We use surfing as a vehicle to improve the health and well being of our youth and to engage them with our five core pillars: personal growth, healthy living, sense of community, environmental stewardship and equity in surfing.
CYC Aptos Middle School
Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYCSF) offers after school programs to students of all ages, as well as linked learning opportunities for work and employment skills development. CYCSF onsite school programs provide youth with academic support and structured fitness, recreation, and enrichment activities. We support young people in exploring their full potential in life by building their confidence, empathy, curiosity, and access. Many San Francisco youth begin their journey with CYC in elementary school, building skills and connections that will last a lifetime.
CYC Balboa High School
Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYCSF) offers after school programs to students of all ages, as well as linked learning opportunities for work and employment skills development. CYCSF onsite school programs provide youth with academic support and structured fitness, recreation, and enrichment activities. We support young people in exploring their full potential in life by building their confidence, empathy, curiosity, and access. Many San Francisco youth begin their journey with CYC in elementary school, building skills and connections that will last a lifetime.
CYC Dianne Feinstein Elementary School
Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYCSF) offers after school programs to students of all ages, as well as linked learning opportunities for work and employment skills development. CYCSF onsite school programs provide youth with academic support and structured fitness, recreation, and enrichment activities. We support young people in exploring their full potential in life by building their confidence, empathy, curiosity, and access. Many San Francisco youth begin their journey with CYC in elementary school, building skills and connections that will last a lifetime.
CYC Garfield Elementary School
Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYCSF) offers after school programs to students of all ages, as well as linked learning opportunities for work and employment skills development. CYCSF onsite school programs provide youth with academic support and structured fitness, recreation, and enrichment activities. We support young people in exploring their full potential in life by building their confidence, empathy, curiosity, and access. Many San Francisco youth begin their journey with CYC in elementary school, building skills and connections that will last a lifetime.
CYC George Moscone
Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYCSF) offers after school programs to students of all ages, as well as linked learning opportunities for work and employment skills development. CYCSF onsite school programs provide youth with academic support and structured fitness, recreation, and enrichment activities. We support young people in exploring their full potential in life by building their confidence, empathy, curiosity, and access. Many San Francisco youth begin their journey with CYC in elementary school, building skills and connections that will last a lifetime.
CYC Redding Elementary School
Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYCSF) offers after school programs to students of all ages, as well as linked learning opportunities for work and employment skills development. CYCSF onsite school programs provide youth with academic support and structured fitness, recreation, and enrichment activities. We support young people in exploring their full potential in life by building their confidence, empathy, curiosity, and access. Many San Francisco youth begin their journey with CYC in elementary school, building skills and connections that will last a lifetime.
CYC San Francisco International School
Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYCSF) offers after school programs to students of all ages, as well as linked learning opportunities for work and employment skills development. CYCSF onsite school programs provide youth with academic support and structured fitness, recreation, and enrichment activities. We support young people in exploring their full potential in life by building their confidence, empathy, curiosity, and access. Many San Francisco youth begin their journey with CYC in elementary school, building skills and connections that will last a lifetime.
Cross Cultural Family Center
The mission of The Cross Cultural Family Center is to provide child development services in cross-cultural settings with a commitment to high quality, community based, and developmentally appropriate early care and after school programs. This includes the recognition of the essential role of family and community in promoting the positive development of young children, and the significant impact of public policy on the economic and social well-being of our culturally diverse urban community. Our goal is to maximize the positive potential among our children, their families, our staff, and the diverse communities in which we live.
Donaldina Cameron House
Bilingual After-school Program (BAP) lights up every afternoon with opportunities to learn, create, and belong. Through bilingual homework support, literacy, STEM, cooking, cultural activities, and social-emotional learning, children build skills, confidence, and lasting friendships. As part of Lights On Afterschool 2026, Cameron House celebrates the caring staff, families, and community partners who help keep young people safe, supported, and proud of their culture.
Enterprise for Youth
Founded in 1969, Enterprise for Youth has served over 30,000 young people to date. Each year, 400+ youth attend workshops that cover topics including interviewing skills, resume and cover letter preparation, money management training, and conflict resolution. We place youth in internships that give them the opportunity to dig deeper into career fields they’re interested in pursuing. Participants who complete our program apply and enroll at higher rates to post-secondary education. Enterprise for Youth sets young people on the right path to achieve career success.
Faces
BASECamp: FACES supports children ages TK–6th grade through its Bayview After-School and Summer Enrichment (BASECamp) Program, serving 60 students during the school year and 90 during the summer. Students participate in a wide range of activities — from STEM and outdoor exploration to cultural celebrations. They build community, expand their learning and creativity, grow their own food and learn about healthy eating through our community garden, and receive support navigating the everyday challenges of being a kid through classes like Real Talk with Bertha. Past summer field trips have included the Exploratorium, Ghirardelli Square, California Academy of Sciences, Escapology, Mission Cliffs Climbing Gym, Bay Area Discovery Museum, and Ocean Beach. The impact of our program was clear last year: 88% of students took on leadership roles, while 88% of parents credited the program with increasing their child's joy of learning. Furthermore, 92% of parents reported that the program directly fostered their child's social-emotional growth. Families return to BASECamp year after year — a testament to the trust they place in our programs. As one parent shared:
"...my children love the program, they are always happy to attend the center and interact with all the teachers and staff, and as a mom, it makes me feel confident that my children are in good hands while I work."
Family Connection Centers
Family Connection Centers provide community-driven, multilingual education and support programs to ensure children and families can thrive. They envision a connected, equitable community where every child and family can access the education and resources they need.
Filipino American Development Foundation: Filipino Education Center Galing Bata Program
For 25 years, the FEC Galing Bata Program has empowered San Francisco youth and families, particularly Filipino immigrants, Filipino Americans, English language learners and low-income households, through culturally responsive educational programming. Serving Kindergarten through 8th grade, Galing Bata provides “gabay, lingap, at bantay” (guidance, care and protection) through bilingual literacy, Filipino language, culture, arts, values and history. The program nurtures a strong bicultural identity, fosters a sense of belonging and strengthens meaningful partnerships among schools, families and the community.
Girls on the Run Bay Area
Girls on the Run of the Bay Area is dedicated to empowering young girls through running, mentorship, and confidence-building curriculum. The program inspires participants to recognize their inner strength, increase their level of physical activity, imagine their possibilities, and confidently stand up for themselves and others.
Good Samaritan: Willie L. Brown Jr. Middle School Beacon Center
Extended the learning day and join the after-school program at our Beacon Center. This is an opportunity to improve the learning objectives of the school day and develop 21st-century skills that support both academic success and life. We focus on academics, and health and social services. Youth are at the center of our mission, and family is a key component to student success. We engage parents and caregivers as thinking partners and supporters. We support school-wide events, family dinners, academic enrichment, and sports clubs.
Good Samaritan Family Resource Center
We support vulnerable families in accessing needed services, developing self-sufficiency, and fully participating in the San Francisco community. Every day, we help low-income families gain the skills, support, and resources necessary to overcome the challenges of poverty and displacement, so we can work together to improve the world we share. We believe in a world where every family has the opportunity to succeed. When every family thrives, our entire community becomes stronger.
Greater Farallones Association
Greater Farallones Association inspires thousands each year to explore, understand, and protect our ocean through immersive education, community science, and habitat restoration programs. Its Ocean AfterSchool (OAS) program brings the wonders of the ocean to San Francisco afterschool sites, engaging 2nd–7th graders - including youth with disabilities and those with limited STEM opportunities - in lively, interactive lessons about sharks, whales, squid, seabirds, and more. OAS sparks curiosity, builds STEM skills, and strengthens students’ connections to their local coast through discovery and exploration.
Homeless Children's Network
HCN’s Fillmore Family Wellness Center brings together children, teens, and parents every Wednesday to play, connect, and receive support in a welcoming space open to all families, whether they stop by occasionally or join us each week. Through creative enrichment activities that incorporate social-emotional learning, a teen center, family events, and field trips, families build relationships and explore new experiences together. Therapy, case management, and resource navigation are available for youth and adults, alongside workshops that support parenting and family well-being. By bringing these opportunities together in one space, we help families access support, strengthen connections, and build community.
Ingleside Community Center
The Ingleside Community Center provides children and youth with a safe and supportive environment to learn, grow, and connect with their community. Offering year round after-school and summer camp programs, we offer academic enrichment, recreational activities, creative opportunities, and field trips that encourage learning, teamwork, and personal growth.