The Guardsmen is a group of Bay Area 
men mobilizing their significant talents and resources to enhance and improve the lives of at-risk youth. This all-volunteer organization, founded in 1947, provides access to high-quality educational and outdoor activities for inner-city youth. The opportunities created through The Guardsmen’s scholarship and campership programs mean that every year kids who otherwise would not have a chance at success are given the opportunity to excel as productive members of society. Sometimes that support means giving kids a chance to “just be kids,” by giving them their first experience to hike, bike, or play a game of softball in the great outdoors. Sometimes that support means the difference between attending a low-performing public school, and access to a higher-quality private education and the life-changing course such an opportunity creates.
Since 1947, The Guardsmen has supported educational and outdoor initiatives with a focus on bettering the lives of at-risk youth in the Bay Area. Through fundraising efforts and events, such as the Christmas Tree Lot at Fort Mason, the Big Game Lunch, and the San Francisco Wine Auction, The Guardsmen raises more than $1 million annually. That means the organization can send 2,500 kids to camp and to outdoor education programs each year, and provide scholarships to more than 250 students at 78 private schools.
The Guardsmen also structures its philanthropy to provide flexible and immediate support to educational and outdoor programs experiencing unforeseen financial challenges that may undermine their crucial, ongoing services to disadvantaged youth. The Guardsmen is committed to making sure that fundraising dollars are spent wisely, with the greatest need and highest returns always in mind. In fact, approximately 90 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to support programs for kids.