Our Story

In 2015 Tracy Young began volunteering as a mentor for low-income first gen students at the local high school in Los Altos, California.  

She met with a few low-income seniors each week and coached her mentees through the college application/ funding process over the course of 9 months.

Her students were all accepted to multiple 4-year universities, but with GPA’s of 3.0-3.6, none of them received the large university scholarships that allowed them to live away from home. These coveted multi-year scholarships, went to 4.0 students.  

Fortunately, there were two neighborhood foundations that filled the funding gap for Young’s students.  

Offering renewable college scholarships over the course of a student’s university experience, coupled with a personal mentor, these foundations graduated a staggering 85% of their recipients with a 4-year college degree. The national average is 12%.

“After my first year mentoring, I couldn’t imagine doing something more important or more meaningful.  I found my passion and wanted to help more students,” said Young.

Teaming with her friend, Melinda Dibb, a passionate educator and proponent for equitable educational access, they began the Reach Foundation in the Fall of 2019. 

Along with volunteer mentors, Tracy and Melinda mentored low-income first gen students of color through the college application process during their senior year. 

After a start at Santa Clara High School, they moved to East San Jose, a historically underserved community where 98% of the students live below a family income of $29k.   

In addition to mentoring in high school, the Reach Foundation also offers five year renewable college scholarships to a handful of mentored seniors, along with a personal mentor.  

As of 2019 and through the help of 165 volunteer mentors, the Reach Foundation has coached 175 low-income, first gen students of color through to entering institutions of higher learning. 

Come join us as a mentor, a donor, or volunteer!