YouthHope Foundation | PO Box 7803 Redlands, CA 92375 US
About Us
Heidi Mayer- Chairman of the Board
Ms. Mayer's passion was realized after years of street outreach throughout the west coast. Ms. Mayer first experienced homeless outreach programs in 2003 while chaperoning a mission trip to the west coast cities of San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle. Ms. Mayer found her heart changed by the homeless youth she met and served. Through these experiences, Ms. Mayer visited dozens of shelters, drop-in centers, and outreach providers in dozens of various cities and settings. Upon returning to her hometown, Ms. Mayer began organizing service outings to Venice Beach, Fairmont Park, and other local areas hoping to encounter and bring hope to the homeless youth in each of these locations. By 2009, Ms. Mayer had spent a total of six years organizing volunteers, facilitating outreach programs, and serving the needy and homeless youth within the community and surrounding areas.
In 2009, Ms. Mayer began taking the initial steps in establishing The YouthHope Foundation in hopes of addressing the service gap for homeless and runaway youth ages 14-24 in Redlands and the surrounding areas. Today, YouthHope Foundation services homeless, runaway, and under served youth from San Bernardino and Riverside Counties and believes that no one is a lost cause.
Dave Streit
Dave was born in Missoula, MT in 1947 and is still a fan of the UM Grizzlies. He grew up in El Paso, TX and Lost Alamitos, CA owing to his father's career as a pilot for Continental Airlines. He married his high school sweetheart in 1967 and they settled in Anaheim, CA while he finished his degree at Cal State Fullerton. Graduating in accounting, Dave was hired by Price Waterhouse Coopers as an auditor and spent four years on the audits of various public corporations. During this time, Dave passed the CPA exam. Meanwhile, babies starting coming and before long there were two daughters and a son. The family moved to Redlands in 1975 and Dave worked as controller of a local hospital and later practiced public accounting in the Inland Empire until retiring in 2012. Dave was a member of Redlands Morning Kiwanis serving as President. He has also been active in First Congregational Church where he served as a Deacon, Moderator, Treasurer and Chairsperson of the Board of Directors. When time allows, Dave enjoys fly fishing, woodworking, traveling, and spending time with the kids who have produced 5 grandchildren.
Donna Ferracone
Donna Ferracone retired in 2009 from Crafton Hills College after 20 years of service as a faculty member, department chair, and Dean of Career and Technical Education. Prior to this, she served as the Director of the Emergency Department at Redlands Community Hospital. Ms. Ferracone is active in the Kiwanis Club of Redlands (Noon), Redlands Youth Accountability Board, Young Visionaries Board of Directors and has been working with YouthHope primarily in the areas of community awareness and fundraising. A Redlands resident since 1980, she has focused on helping the youth of our community become productive citizens. She hopes to continue the work through her community involvement in various youth focused organizations. Ms. Ferracone received her Nursing Diploma from Queen of Angels School of Nursing in Los Angeles, Bachelor of Vocational Education from CSU San Bernardino and a Masters in Arts in Educational Administration from the University of Redlands.
RC Johnson
Bio coming soon
Chris Martin (D.D.S.)
Dr. Chris Martin, D.D.S., is a native Californian, raised in Redlands. Dr. Martin attended local public schools and graduated from Redlands High School. He then attended UC Davis studying biology before entering dental school in San Francisco. In the summer of 1969, Dr. Martin married his high school sweetheart Pam, just prior to entering dental school. Dr. Martin graduated with honors and was valedictorian of the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry. Following graduation, he served in the United States Air Force as a dental officer at the Strategic Air Command Headquarters in Bellevue, Nebraska. Subsequently, the Martin family moved back to California with their two small children. Dr. Martin practiced general dentistry for thirty years in Cerritos. He and his wife raised their family in Cypress, California and ultimately retired in 2005. Upon retiring, Dr. Martin and his wife relocated back to the Redlands area. Dr. Martin and his wife are now the proud grandparents of four grandchildren.
Dr. Martin's passions include spending time with family, volunteer work with First Congregational Church in Redlands, YouthHope Foundation, Redlands Sunrise Rotary, Redlands Service Club Council and attempting to play golf. Dr. Martin continues to volunteer at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry as an assistant professor and works with third and fourth year dental students in the main clinic.
Rick Ferguson
Married to Kellie , Lives in Redlands , One Daughter and two Grandsons.
Worked for San Bernardino County Public Works 39 years.
Active member of the Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church.
Board of Directors for Youth Hope Foundation, Redlands.
Board of Directors for Friends of Reginal Parks.
Active Member for Redlands Chartable Resource Coalition, Inc,
Active in Redlands Community with helping homeless.
Received the Redlands City Hero Award in 2018 with wife Kellie for work with the Homeless.
Received the Lady of Guadalupe award from Bishop Alberto Rojas, San Bernardino Catholic Diocese.
Nipher Malika (PhD, MPH)
Raised with the wisdom that “the highest of distinctions is service to others”, Nipher has spent most her life in service in the communities she has lived in and in various communities across the world. Nipher has been working with homeless and marginalized populations her whole life, first in Kenya, Colorado and Idaho, to India, Peru, Argentina, Mexico and now Redland, CA. She served as the education coordinator for YouthHope for 5 years before joining the Board and is now thrilled to continue serving YouthHope in a way that can continue to strengthen the organization’s programs and services.
Nipher is also a policy researcher whose passion is to work with marginalized communities to bring about change and help foster healthy equitable communities so that everyone has the opportunity to make choices that lead to healthy lifestyles.