About Us

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Our Mission

The OMI/Excelsior Beacon Center seeks to enrich the lives of people in our community. We do this by creating opportunities for youth, families and community to grow and share in a safe and diverse place.

Our Values

We respect differences and celebrate diversity. We focus on strengths and assets for personal success and learning. We provide a fun, safe, supportive environment for youth, participants and staff. We recognize and appreciate personal and community contributions. We build friendship and healthy relationships through honest and open communication.

The OMI/Excelsior Beacon Center is partnered with James Denman Middle School in San Francisco, proudly serving the community for over 10 years.

The SF Beacon Initiative

The San Francisco Beacon Initiative is a public-private partnership among the County of San Francisco, schools, non-profit organizations and local foundations that promotes the development of youth and family centers (Beacon Centers) in public schools in urban neighborhoods. The Beacon Centers serve as a gathering place in the community and are open year-round, before and after school, evenings and on weekends, offering a variety of services to children and families in a safe, protected environment. Center programs aim to involve youth in constructive relationships with caring adults; maintain consistently high standards for youth in school and in the community; provide youth with real, challenging opportunities to learn, practice skills and contribute to the community; and offer cross-cultural opportunities to build harmonious and diverse relationships. Youth development activities include educational support (such as tutoring, homework clubs, computer classes), youth leadership development, peer counseling, career development, community service projects, arts programs, recreational activities, and health programs (such as support groups or drug prevention). Family and parent support programs include classes in parenting, ESL, health and mental health, and citizenship skills building, as well as child care and early enrichment, community gatherings, and cultural events. All services are provided at no charge.

A non-profit community-based agency works with each designated school to coordinate the daily operations of the school’s Beacon Center. Each site convenes a community council of youth, parents, residents, teachers, school administrators and community agencies to provide program guidance. More than 70 community organizations, city-wide, partner with the centers to provide service programming.