Across Oakland this year, young people found out the summer programs they were counting on were gone. As funding tightened, other organizations cut back or closed, and students who expected a summer of work and mentorship were left with nothing.

At Catalyst we've made a different call.

Instead of turning students away, we made room for more of them. This summer, 50 young people are interning through CareerBridge, the most we've ever taken on. About five of them are here because their own programs were cut.

Every one of these internships is paid. We're about $25,000 short of covering this year's stipends.

A paid internship is what lets a student say yes to a summer of growth instead of scrambling for whatever job they can find. It costs about $1,200 to fund one student's summer, and your gift goes straight to a 2026 CareerBridge intern.

This works. We've seen it.

This spring, Catalyst ran CareerCon, connecting students with professionals to talk about college, careers, and life after high school. Afterward:

95% of students said it gave them greater clarity about their career path
Self-reported career readiness rose from 2.9 to 4.2 out of 5
68% gave it the highest recommendation score possible

The student below is real. Her name is changed to protect her privacy.

Josie came to CareerCon as a sophomore still figuring out her future. One conversation with a healthcare professional opened up a path she'd never considered. She's since applied to become a Catalyst summer intern. The internships you're funding are where students like Josie go next.

Where your gift goes

CareerBridge runs these internship for this summer's 50 interns: 23 at Caltrans District 4, 13 in the Innovation Lab, 10 in the Entrepreneurship Lab, 3 with Children Rising, and 1 in a legal fellowship.

Your gift pays the stipends that turn these positions into real, paying jobs.

We've raised most of what we need. The last stretch is the hardest, and that's where you come in.

Thank you for believing Oakland's young people deserve the shot.

Help Open More Doors for Oakland Youth

Fund a paid summer internship for an Oakland student.

Team Members