Freedom 4 Youth

Freedom 4 Youth Freedom 4 Youth's mission is to uplift and empower youth to build safe and compassionate communities.

Freedom 4 Youth 501(c)3 facilitates opportunities for expression and social-emotional learning through programs focused on: effective communication, education planning/job training, mentorship, and community integration. "Freedom4Youth has changed many young lives,
From those that are troubled, to those who live in lies. Criminal and gang activities was mostly all we could do,
We never found our

innerselves until we joined Freedom 4 Youth. Our teachers our awesome, our students are great,
Whoever knew there would be so much love, and so little hate. We are all about saving the souls of troubled youth,
And introducing them to our growing Brother/Sisterhood. From cities and countries all around the world,
Just sit back, relax, and watch our family grow. We're located in so many hearts, and have been for years,
God bless Freedom4Youth, and everyone of our peers." -Manuel C.

Last week, we had the amazing opportunity to visit the for an afternoon of learning and exploration of the natural worl...
06/05/2026

Last week, we had the amazing opportunity to visit the for an afternoon of learning and exploration of the natural world. We loved getting to experience the touch tanks, walk along the beach and bluffs, and learn more about the incredible marine life and ecosystems right here in our community 🐠🪸

Thank you to the REEF team for welcoming us into such a beautiful space and helping create a memorable experience. We are so grateful for community partners who make opportunities like this possible!

After getting to showcase their skills to their friends and families the week before, our Spring Culinary Cohort was exc...
05/26/2026

After getting to showcase their skills to their friends and families the week before, our Spring Culinary Cohort was excited to open up the kitchen to community partners and supporters for a special Community Dinner 🍽️

It was a meaningful evening filled with great food and conversation. Our youth put so much care into every part of the experience, and it was incredibly special to gather together with the people and organizations who continue to invest in and believe in them.

We’re so grateful for the community that surrounds this program and helps make opportunities like this possible. ❤️


Two weeks ago we gathered for our Friends & Family Dinner to celebrate the Spring cohort of Freedom 4 Youth’s redesigned...
05/21/2026

Two weeks ago we gathered for our Friends & Family Dinner to celebrate the Spring cohort of Freedom 4 Youth’s redesigned Culinary Program!

After 13 weeks of showing up and putting in the work, our youth shared a meal they planned, prepared, and served themselves for the people who have supported them along the way. It was a meaningful moment to reflect on how much they’ve grown in the kitchen.

We’re so grateful to everyone who came out to be part of the evening and celebrate alongside them!

In addition to all of their time out in the community, our Spring ‘26 culinary cohort has been hard at work in the kitch...
04/28/2026

In addition to all of their time out in the community, our Spring ‘26 culinary cohort has been hard at work in the kitchen every week! 👩‍🍳

Our relaunched Culinary Program creates space for young people to build confidence and real skills through cooking. Led by Chef David Medina and Chef Cris, our youth have been learning new recipes, working together, and growing in amazing ways over the past few months.

We’re very grateful for the people and partnerships that make this possible. Chef David and Chef Cris from bring so much intention to the space and show up for our youth every week. provides fresh, locally sourced produce that allows youth to cook with real ingredients while learning more about food access and sustainability. And the has opened their kitchen to us, giving our youth a consistent, welcoming place to learn and be together.

We’re so proud of all they’ve accomplished and excited for what’s still to come!

We had so much fun last Wednesday at ’s 14th Annual Grilled Cheese Smackdown! Our youth culinary program showed up stron...
04/15/2026

We had so much fun last Wednesday at ’s 14th Annual Grilled Cheese Smackdown! Our youth culinary program showed up strong, and the Freedom 4 Youth team was honored to take home the People’s Choice Award with the most votes for our P, B & C sandwich 🧀

This amazing event benefits the , and we’re so grateful to be part of a community that shows up in such meaningful ways. Huge shoutout to Chef Cris and Chef David for their leadership, and to Toad&Co for hosting such an awesome event!

One of our favorite events of the year is back 🧀🔥Join us Wednesday, April 8th for the 14th Annual Grilled Cheese Smackdo...
04/03/2026

One of our favorite events of the year is back 🧀🔥

Join us Wednesday, April 8th for the 14th Annual Grilled Cheese Smackdown at Toad & Co.!

Our youth will be bringing the energy, creativity, and some seriously good grilled cheese.

Come out, cheer them on, and be part of a night full of good food and community.

Raffle, silent auction, and a donation-based bar all supporting The Organic Soup Kitchen. Click the link in our bio for tickets!

We are excited to announce that Freedom 4 Youth will be hosting a Restorative Justice Facilitator Course this spring!Joi...
03/17/2026

We are excited to announce that Freedom 4 Youth will be hosting a Restorative Justice Facilitator Course this spring!

Join us for our Introduction to Restorative Justice training April 11th and take the first step toward becoming a facilitator within the Freedom 4 Youth – Tara Haaland-Ford Restorative Justice Project.

This interactive course builds skills in restorative dialogue, conflict resolution, and youth-centered, healing practices. Open to students, community members, and partners committed to creating safer, more compassionate communities. We hope to see you there!

🔗 Sign up through the link in our bio or the QR code on the flyer

We had such an incredible visit to Backyard Bowls this Tuesday! The team welcomed our youth into their beautiful space a...
03/13/2026

We had such an incredible visit to Backyard Bowls this Tuesday! The team welcomed our youth into their beautiful space and gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how everything comes together. They walked the group through each step of the process, and everyone got to make their own bowl from start to finish! It was such a fun, hands-on experience. Huge thank you to our amazing Blum intern Vanessa, her manager Rubi, and the Backyard Bowls team for being so generous and creating such a welcoming space for our youth! 🍓🫐🍌🥣

Such a fun afternoon at McDonald’s! Our youth had the chance to go behind the counter and get a closer look at what it t...
03/12/2026

Such a fun afternoon at McDonald’s! Our youth had the chance to go behind the counter and get a closer look at what it takes to keep a busy restaurant running. From seeing how meals are prepared to learning about teamwork and customer service, it was an awesome hands-on experience. Thank you to the McDonald’s team for welcoming us and creating such a memorable visit!

We’re so grateful to the team at Old Town Coffee for welcoming us and sharing such a special experience in their space! ...
03/12/2026

We’re so grateful to the team at Old Town Coffee for welcoming us and sharing such a special experience in their space! After enjoying a delicious sandwich, our group got a behind the scenes tour of the shop and learned about everything that goes into the coffee making and customer service process, including how to work an espresso machine and seeing the coffee roasting equipment up close.

A huge thank you to Brad and the entire team for being so welcoming and generous with their knowledge. We are grateful for community partners who open their doors and create opportunities for our youth to explore new skills, environments, and possibilities! ☕️

Address

187-A S. Patterson Avenue
Santa Barbara, CA
93111

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 5:30pm
Thursday 11am - 5:30pm

Telephone

(805) 708-1292

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Freedom 4 Youth posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Freedom 4 Youth:

Shortcuts

Share