Surf Bus Foundation

THE SURF BUS FOUNDATION 2019 YEAR END APPEAL 

The Surf Bus Foundation is committed to helping create a world that works for everyone, with no one left out.  The Foundation brings Los Angeles inner-city kids from their neighborhoods to the Santa Monica State Beach.  Thousands of kids every year, many of whom have never seen the ocean.  Our program gives these young people a chance to experience the ocean and surf sports, some for the first time.  Hundreds of volunteers generously support the effort.  The money we are asking you to invest in us and these kids pays for the buses, fuel swimsuits & water safety gear, and other essential support. 

Our goal for this 2019 year-end campaign is $35,000 to fund 2020. 

The Surf Bus Foundation is celebrating its 16th anniversary this year.  Since the foundation’s beginning in 2003, the Surf Buses have picked up kids at city-sponsored Recreation Centers in Downtown and East Los Angeles, and brought them free of charge to the beach, and then carried them safely back to their neighborhoods. At the beach we provide supervision, training and coaching. 

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE SURF BUS

For the 50-70 children enrolled at their Park & Rec location somewhere in LA, the day begins at 7:45am when the Surf Bus arrives...the kids pile in and we ride our way to Santa Monica State Beach by 9am call time.  Students are greeted by Surf Academy staff and volunteers—our trained army of surf interns.  The kids are escorted off the bus and divided into groups by age and gender. If it’s chilly, they struggle into a wetsuit.  Everyone is issued a color-coded rash guard easily identified by coaches, volunteers, county lifeguards, park staff, and city officials.  

The fun starts with name games and sandy, salty ice breaker games.  

·        We use skill cards to help students acclimate to beach life and culture.  We teach “wave readiness” skills—bottom check to search for holes in the  sand, hidden sea creatures, seaweed traps—water flags and body surfing to practice timing.

·        Finally, we teach SURFING-- to prepare students to pass on their knowledge to family and friends who bring them to the beach when they aren’t in our training program. 

·         Healthy lunch is at noon and after lunch we double down on the skills we practiced before lunch.  

The bus comes back to the beach at around 2pm every day for the drive back into the inner city.  Leaving the beach, the kids are salty, happy, and spent.  

Marion Clark, the volunteer Foundation Chair, says,

“The ocean saves my life every day.  It teaches all of us, kids and adults, to become adept at handling ourselves and our own well-being.  In the waves there are no time outs, no special treatment, no matter your age, social or cultural background, wealth, or skin color.  The sea is truly equal opportunity.”

“The lessons we strive to teach transcend the water; our kids learn to stand up and ride the waves of their lives--from giant tsunamis to everyday ripples to the occasional wipe out.  Surf Bus students learn that they can be their own lifeguards, no matter what the surf may bring. They develop the self-confidence and the power that flows from learning to take responsibility...and ride with it.”  


The SURF BUS Story

·        The Surf Bus Foundation is a non-profit youth education & sports community organization founded after the tragic drowning in 1998 of Theresa, a 12 year old girl from Downtown LA who came to the beach to swim with friends.  She didn’t have proper gear or know how to swim, but the sea called and she tried to answer. Sadly, it was the death of her.

·        The tragedy sparked action.  Mary Setterholm, a former U.S. Women’s Surfing Champion and Santa Monica surf instructor and entrepreneur, started the Foundation with the dream that under-privileged inner city kids could experience the ocean in safety.  When Mary moved East to pursue a different path, her daughter Marion accepted the baton for both the Foundation and Mary’s surf instruction school, The Surf Academy.

·        Since 2003, hundreds of Surf Bus volunteers have helped upwards to 3,000 kids a year to see the ocean and experience its joys and challenges.  In total, 50,000 lives--kids & volunteers--have been kissed by sea since we started.  We reach 20% of the low income zip codes in Greater LA.

·        The Foundation operates in partnership with the City of Santa Monica and Los Angeles County Lifeguard Association.  It has teamed with the Los Angeles County Parks & Recreation Department and local churches to serve inner city youth for 16 continuous years.

·        As 2020 approaches, the Foundation and Surf Academy have become mainstays of Southern California surfing scene and more than ever a family social enterprise.  Marion and her partner Rusty met through their Surf Bus work and recently became the proud parents of Wayan, a beautiful baby daughter, who they are confident will very soon be riding waves of her own.


·        To read more about the Foundation, go to www.surfbusfoundation.org . 

·        To learn about its partner, The Surf Academy, go to www.surfacademycollective.com 

SURF BUS FOUNDATION HONORS AND AWARDS

·        The Surf Bus has been featured on the Today Show 

·        In 2016, its work was honored with a $100,000 Goldhirsh Foundation Grant  . 

FINALLY,  A WORD FROM THE FOUNDERS... AND A FEW VERY HAPPY KIDS

U.S. SURFING CHAMP MARY SETTERHOLM STARTS THE BUS – 2003      

DAUGHTER MARION TAKES THE WHEEL  - 2007 

AND THE KIDS MAKE A SPLASH!