NEWS

June 3, 2026 My name is Cataleyah, and I’m headed to 6th grade. I’ve been coming to Girls Inc. of Alameda County’s summer camp at Concordia Park since I was in kindergarten, and I want to tell you why this program means so much to me. When I first came to Concordia Park, I was really shy and quiet because I didn’t know anybody. On my very first day, I got paired up with another girl named Gia for a “pair and share” activity. She was nice to me, and that’s when I knew she was

May 24th, 2026 CEO, Julayne Virgil, and graduating participant, Amira, joined KTVU to talk about the impact of Girls Inc. of Alameda County, our annual College Shower, and our College Access Now! (CAN!) Program. In the interview, Amira shared how we have helped shape her confidence and support her journey toward higher education. This fall, she will attend California Polytechnic State University, and we couldn’t be more proud! ❤️ For 12 consecutive years, 100% of our graduati

April 30th, 2026 At our 2026 Strong, Smart & Bold Gala, our community came together to raise $742,187 in support of girls across Alameda County—including $253,100 raised in the room, more than doubling the evening's $125,000 match. These funds represent expanded opportunities, stronger support systems, and brighter futures for the 1,600+ girls and young women we serve each year. Our CEO, Julayne Virgil, reminded us what it means to invest in girls not just in a moment, but ac

We are proud to announce this year’s 2026 Strong, Smart & Bold Gala Honorees—Ay’Anna Moody, Executive Director of the Golden State Community Foundation, and Jess Smith, President of the Golden State Valkyries—two extraordinary leaders whose work across philanthropy and professional sports is shaping opportunity for girls and young women across the Bay Area. Ay’Anna Moody has been a champion of Girls Inc. of Alameda County, helping strengthen the organization’s partnership wi

March 2026 We are sharing an important clarification regarding recent news coverage involving our neighboring affiliate, Girls Inc. of Island City (headquartered in Alameda). While we recognize that this is a difficult time for a fellow youth-serving organization, it is important to clarify that this situation does not involve Girls Inc. of Alameda County. Although we are both affiliates of the Girls Inc. national network, our organization is a separate nonprofit 501(c)(3) wi

We were honored to welcome California’s First Partner, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, to our Simpson Center for Girls! During her visit, she spent time with our participants, observed programming in action, and heard directly from young people about their experiences building confidence, leadership, and college and career pathways through Girls Inc. of Alameda County. Thank you, First Partner Newsom, for taking the time to connect with our youth and for championing opportunities tha

We were honored to welcome Justice Kelli Evans of the California Supreme Court for a special fireside chat with our middle and high school students. Justice Evans, who has dedicated her career to public service and advancing fairness within the justice system, shared insights from her professional journey and the values that have guided her work. What made the experience especially meaningful was the opportunity for conversation. Justice Evans didn’t just speak to our stude

Our middle schoolers traded their notebooks for legal pads as they stepped inside the San Francisco Federal Courthouse for a two-day mock trial experience led by U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin. On day one, students were presented with a case scenario and selected to serve as either Plaintiff’s Counsel or Defendant’s Counsel. They analyzed the facts, built their arguments, and drafted opening statements—preparing to present in a real federal courtroom. On day two, they took t

This fall, we partnered with the Smithsonian Institute to engage youth in Democracy in Dialogue, a national curriculum that invites young people to explore democracy through lived experience—exploring their own stories, identities, and communities while learning from peers in other parts of the country. Rather than learning about democracy from a text book, Democracy in Dialogue invites students to utilize core democratic skills in their every day lives: listening across diff

We proudly launched the fourth cohort of our Expanded Learning Apprenticeship, a first-of-its-kind earn-and-learn program in California designed to build pathways into the education field. At our recent launch event, we celebrated these future educators with a day of networking, team building, and celebration. Apprentices met their peers and partners, received their backpacks loaded with school supplies, and were welcomed into a strong community of mentors and supporters.

This summer, Girls Inc. of Alameda County launched its Women in Trades Pilot Program, introducing high school girls to career pathways in the skilled trades. The program kicked off with woodworking workshops facilitated by the Retention Apprenticeship Program (RAMP) and led by union carpenter Olwyn Brown and an all-women crew of carpentry professionals. Under their guidance, high schoolers learned how to safely use tools and build their own carpentry project, choosing between

An immersive summer field trip offered participants a rare look into the industries and careers that power the movement of goods from...