The mission of SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services) is to transform communities to support the well-being and prosperity of children, youth, and families.Their new Center for Impact means even more neighbors will find safety, stability, and the chance to thrive.
Since 1971, SBCS has worked throughout San Diego County to strengthen communities with programs designed to create stability and opportunity for residents. For 50 years they’ve deepened their impact, reaching more than 50,000 youth and families each year. And they are based right here in Chula Vista—a hidden gem in our very own backyard.
In its early days, SBCS started as a drop-in center for teens. As kids spent more time at the center, though, it was clear that they were experiencing challenges outside of the program that were impacting their lives in big ways. Things like violence at home, school trouble, or helping take care of household responsibilities like cooking dinner and caring for their siblings while their single parent was at work, made it hard for them to thrive. The team at SBCS stepped in time after time to support these youth as they navigated the difficulties of their lives around them, and the future of SBCS’s programs was born.
Today, SBCS’s programs span a vast variety of support for youth and families. Their team of over 500 employees work alongside schools, police departments, family resource centers, and affordable housing locations to ensure community members have what they need. Their programs are designed to support basic needs like food and housing, as well as emergency support for families experiencing domestic violence, addiction, or youth in the juvenile justice system. At the heart of it, if a family in the San Diego region is struggling with any sort of personal, physical, or emergency need—SBCS has a program to help them take steps toward a brighter situation.
SBCS’s New Center for Impact Means Support For More San Diegans
On October 22nd, SBCS cut the ribbon on their brand new, 61,000 square foot facility on 4th Avenue in Chula Vista. Their grand opening marked a huge milestone for the organization, a cause for celebration.
Over the decades, SBCS had begun to outgrow their current spaces and their staff were spread out across multiple aging buildings all across the County. In the new center, all SBCS employees, community partners, and residents have a central location where they can work together to continue addressing some of the most pressing issues facing our neighbors and neighborhoods.
Most importantly? The space was built with the community in mind. Promotoras—or trained parent volunteers from local neighborhoods connecting SBCS programs to the community—shared their specific needs for the space. They suggested amenities like a kitchen for offering meals during workshops and including intentional community gathering spaces. They also wanted the space to feel dignified—somewhere they are proud to walk into. SBCS succeeded in making those dreams come true. The new space is beautifully designed to be welcoming, dignified, and community-driven— somewhere anyone would feel proud to walk into.
For the team at SBCS, this is about more than just a building. It’s about creating community, offering opportunities, and fostering supportive and dignified environments for residents. It’s about increasing impact for those that need it, and making sure that there’s room for everyone. The team at SBCS is grateful to this community for helping to make that possible.
“Thank you to our Chula Vista community for believing in our work and making our new Center for Impact possible,” says SBCS CEO Kathryn Lembo “With your support, this community-centered facility will be a launching pad for us to serve more people, more often and a symbol of our commitment to serving this community for decades to come.”
What’s in the New Building?
So, what’s happening within the walls of this huge new center? Tons!
The ground floor is a multipurpose community engagement and wellness center for all people served by SBCS and all of the neighborhood residents of Chula Vista. If you go exploring on the first floor, you’ll come across the mental health wing, full of comfortable rooms to host therapy sessions and small group meetings as well as a collection of colorful and welcoming family rooms used for parental visits and children's programs. You’ll notice windows lining the walls, allowing the natural light to radiate in and bringing even more warmth to the space.
Continue around the first floor and you’ll find a large community engagement center full of moveable tables, chairs, and supplies for Leadership Academies, civic engagement trainings, Promotora groups, and other community-style events.
Down the hallway, you’ll find the SBCS neighborhood computer lab that’s open to the needs of the public on a daily basis, and a teen room with after school and weekend hours so local teens have a safe and fun place to hang out.
The top three floors offer space to centralize all of the staff in one place, making collaboration a breeze.This huge upgrade will expand SBCS’s capacity to be able to serve up to 10,000 more people in San Diego with critical services, writing a new chapter of hope for our San Diego community.
A Foundation of Gratitude
The programs at SBCS are built upon the gifts and passion of the local community. None of the work they do would be possible without the support of their donors and neighbors who make their mark on the organization, leaving a legacy by supporting the Center for Impact and other SBCS programs.
Sometimes, though, it’s the unexpected gifts that mean the most. A few years ago, a woman called SBCS in response to a “thank you” call she received. When she spoke to a staff member, they asked her: “What inspired you to give to SBCS?”
She replied that a year before, she found herself in need of help while escaping an abusive home situation for her daughter. A parent at her school told her about SBCS, so they contacted the organization. They had found themselves without money, without a place to stay, and nowhere to go. They were desperate for help.
At the time, the SBCS emergency housing was full. But that didn’t stop them from supporting this family in need. They placed the mother and daughter in a hotel room and provided them with a $250 gift card for food, until they were able to figure out their next steps.
This woman decided that as soon as she was steady again, she would make a donation back to the organization that helped her and her daughter in their time of need. She requested her donation be used to purchase some of the same $250 gift cards that had made all the difference for them the year before—ensuring another family could feel the same relief she once did. It was her own story, and her gratitude for the services she received, that inspired her to give.
This foundation—one of gratitude, giving back, and community rooted in deep care—is what keeps organizations like SBCS working for a brighter future. Our communities are stronger and better because of that legacy, and we are grateful for all they do for Chula Vista, the South Bay, and the San Diego region as a whole.
Be a Part of the Change
SBCS’s work is built on a foundation of gratitude—from those they serve, their dedicated team, and the community that stands beside them. If you’re interested in learning more about how you can support their life-changing programs, visit their website at https://sbcssandiego.org/.
Thank you to our Chula Vista community for believing in our work and making our new Center for Impact possible. Together, we're ensuring that every child, youth, and family in our region has the opportunity to build a brighter future.