Good Samaritan supports all vulnerable children, youth and low income families, throughout San Francisco, especially immigrant and newcomer families. Together we work to build the necessary skills and resources to overcome poverty and displacement, develop self-sufficiency, and participate fully in the community we all share.

When José arrived in the United States in October 2023, he felt invisible.

At just 19 years old, he had left everything behind in Guanajuato, Mexico, his home, his school, his friends. He entered a new country carrying fear, grief, and the quiet question so many young immigrants carry:

Where do I belong?

He found his answer at Good Samaritan Family Resource Center (Good Sam) in San Francisco.

Through Good Sam’s Jóvenes Promotores (Youth Promoters) Program, part of its two-generation approach supporting both youth and families, José found more than academic support. He found community. He found mentors who understood the challenges of being a newcomer. He found a safe, culturally rooted space designed to help immigrant youth lead, grow, and create change in their communities.

“When I came to this country, I didn’t feel like I had a community. In this program, I found people who speak Spanish like me. I felt part of something again,” José shares.

At Good Sam, youth like José receive leadership development, peer mentoring opportunities, academic guidance, and social-emotional support — all grounded in dignity, belonging, and cultural pride. The program meets young people where they are, honoring their language, identity, and lived experience.

Today, José is no longer just trying to survive. He is helping others thrive.

Twice a week, you can find him at San Francisco International High School, sharing meals with classmates, helping with assignments, listening to their worries, and reminding them they are not alone — especially when facing the same fears he once carried.

“Being a promotor means helping your community. It means giving your time from the heart, not just for yourself, but to help everyone move forward together,” he says.

José’s transformation did not happen by accident. It happened because there was a safe, welcoming space waiting for him when he needed it most — a place where he could move between English and Spanish with ease, connect with peers who understood his journey, and discover that his voice mattered.

At Good Sam, newcomer youth don’t just receive support.

They become leaders.