A Letter from Our Founder

As the Executive Director of Code Tenderloin, I am honored to lead such a passionate team, dedicated to helping people change their lives for the better. Code Tenderloin was started with the idea of bringing economic equity to the marginal and needy populations living in and around the San Francisco Tenderloin neighborhood. 

Every day in the Tenderloin, people have to resort to all types of menial and sometimes illegal behaviors in order to provide themselves and their families with the basic needs and wants in life. When you cross over Market Street, it is a whole different world simply because people are in jobs making $80,000, $120,000, or more a year. I wanted the people in the Tenderloin and other San Francisco neighborhoods to be able to gain access to those same opportunities for economic stability. I wanted them to face the decision of where they were going to send their kids to college, rather than if they could send them.

Code Tenderloin is the people we serve and our success is measured in the changes in their lives, the lives of their families, and the strength of their communities. Since its beginning in 2015, Code Tenderloin has helped hundreds of folks move up to the next level of living — gain a community, become housed, stay out of prison, and realize they can get a job or career. Many of our graduates have gotten nice apartments, cars and well-paying jobs. Many have returned to school, following their dreams and building their education. One is even pursuing her law degree.

As Code Tenderloin grows, the one thing that will never change is that we put the people we serve and our ability to best support them first. Thank you to everyone who has given their time, energy, and generous donations to support us and our people. Together, we have changed so many lives. Together, we can continue to change many more.

Sincerely,

Del Seymour