Fueling The Future With Every Spark

Hope Ignites Southern California helps motivated high school students rise above disadvantaged backgrounds. Our goal is to graduate young people who are physically, emotionally, and academically prepared for post-secondary education and productive life, breaking barriers so they can become community-minded leaders.

Hope Ignites firmly believes that young people have the power to overcome adversity, realize their potential, and help transform our world. They create these successes when we remove obstacles, support and believe in them, and provide environments and opportunities that build on their strengths.

See more about our Network

Hope Ignites Southern California is a proud member of the Hope Ignites Network. Our Network Headquarters, located in St. Louis, Missouri, connects, provides leadership to, and offers signature college-preparatory programming to affiliates across the United States and Latin America. Each affiliate is independently incorporated, governed by its own board of directors, and responsible for its own fundraising. Affiliation and services agreements link the Network to ensure mission and brand fidelity, quality operations, maximum functional capacity, and consistency in training, programmatic standards, and best practices.

Our Mission

To nurture and guide motivated young people in need to become well-educated, career-ready men and women for others.

Our DNA

Academic Focus

We believe in the transformative power of education to develop lifelong learners.

Service & Community Engagement

We believe in the Jesuit-inspired, values-centered hallmark of building “persons for others.”

Family-like Setting & Sense of Belonging

We believe youth derive their energy and sustenance from exposure to nurturing environments.

Long-term & Comprehensive Commitment

We believe an enduring relationship with youth holds the most promise for attaining positive outcomes.

Faith-Based Values

We believe that a loving God cares about the life of every individual and we manifest this belief.

Voluntary Participant Commitment

We believe in the motivational power of self-selection into the Hope Ignites program.

Local Impact

We have great numbers to represent our success and we often hit 100%. But that’s not where the story ends. There isn’t a number that is large enough to represent the character, ambition, courage and integrity of our young men and women.

Leadership

The Hope Ignites Southern California Board of Directors and team leadership collaborate to ensure mission fidelity, financial stewardship, and transparency. Together, this group of professionals is committed to continuous learning, effective programming and outcomes, and improvement through impact evaluation and innovation.

Erica Simmons

Executive Director

Christina Abarca

Program Director

Angeles Espinoza-Ramírez

Outreach & Development Manager

Nathalie Vazquez

Community Outreach Specialist

Jason Chihuahua

Youth Specialist

Emma Gutierrez

Youth Specialist

Board of Directors

Josh Aven

CEO/Founder
Aven Financial Group

Jesse Bagley

Founder/CEO
PeopleSpace

Garth Flint

Founder/Partner
Beacon Pointe Advisors

Majeda Geramy

President
Karaki Business Services

Bryan Giglia

CEO
Sunstone Hotel Investors

Stephanie Gonzalez

Sr. Program Manager
Nike

Eran Goren

Managing Partner & Co-Founder
Kingstree Ventures

Ryan Huntsman

VP
Chicago Title

Mark C. Johnson

Chairman & CEO
Mark Chapin Johnson Foundation

David S. Kim

Managing Partner
The Bascom Group

Roger T. Kirwan

Chairman
Woodside Credit

Tracy Kirwan

Community Volunteer

Cameran Lindee

First Vice President
CBRE, Inc.

Douglas McCaulley

Partner
Deloitte Tax LLP

Theresa C. Morrison

President
William J. Cagney Trust

Chris Pribus

President
Providence Enterprises

Rachel Pupiromrat

Digital Marketing & Communications

American Dental Association

Paul Reisz

Executive Vice President

PIMCO

Mark Schechter

Owner

Ideal Luxury

Mitch Shatzen

Director

Woodside Credit

Cliff Shepherdson

Principal

FPA Investors First

Laura Weber

Vice President

World Wide Technology

Keith Webster

Managing Director

J.P. Morgan

Robin Yoshimura

Managing Director

J.P. Morgan

History

1991

Opened our first boys’ home in Rancho Santa Margarita.

1996

The first girls’ home opens in Fullerton and we became Boys Hope Girls Hope.

2017

Boys Hope Girls Hope celebrates its 40th anniversary!

2023

Boys Hope Girls Hope of Southern California has pre-collegian scholars, collegian scholars, and residential scholars. We are one of 14 affiliates in the United States. Our Alumni have become productive and contributing members of our community and give back to our scholars as men and women “for others”

2025

Rebranded

From its beginnings as the Jesuit Program for Living and Learning in 1977 to becoming Boys Hope Girls Hope, the organization has continually grown to meet young people’s needs. Today, Hope Ignites serves more than 1,250 scholars across the United States, Guatemala, and Mexico, with a vision to triple its impact by 2035. The new name reflects the energy, ambition, and limitless possibilities ahead.

It’s more than a name change— it’s a bold reaffirmation of the mission.

Hope Ignites All

At Hope Ignites, we are a passionate team of individuals from all walks of life, united as One Team One Mission. The strength of our Network lies in the incredible potential within each person, and we take pride in creating a community where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered.

Built into our DNA is a commitment to family-like settings fostering a deep sense of belonging. This means prioritizing authentic connections, truly listening, recognizing everyone’s experiences, seeking understanding and building trust. We believe that bringing together a wide range of backgrounds, perspectives, experiences, and differences within our teams and boards strengthens our ability to support the young people we serve.

Their safety, well-being, experiences, and opportunities are at the heart of our mission. As we invest in each scholar and team member, we are also working to build bridges of understanding and create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

STEWARDSHIP

We pledge to ensure your investment has the impact that it merits. Hope Ignites continues to enhance our Performance Management Tool, utilizing peer accountability and support across our fourteen affiliates and Headquarters.

This consistent evaluation allows us to assess our data-centric, outcomes-oriented programming. Our ability to generate real-time data gives us the opportunity to provide maximum transparency to our stakeholders.

Additionally, Hope Ignites adheres to AFP’s Donor Bill of Rights.

Hope Ignites and all 14 affiliates undergo an annual audit. This transparency enables us to demonstrate our sound stewardship of the resources invested by our generous donors.

AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS