About Stockton

     Stockton is the city Restore was birthed in and it is where the majority of the residents in our Leadership Mentor Training program reside. Since its beginning in 2010, Restore has grown into a community of people who are committed to engaging, empowering, and equipping the residents of our city. Restore believes that transformation can only occur in the context of relationships, and we have developed multiple programs to facilitate this. Some of these programs include youth mentoring, community gardening, leadership development, and job training. Restore staff members reside in the neighborhood where all of our programs take place, which creates a solidarity between those we mentor and the people running programs. Restore is based in the downtown historic Magnolia district of Stockton, an area that is full of paradoxes - beautiful mansions from the 1800’s stand next to run-down apartment buildings, and people earning six figure salaries are neighbors with those who have lived off of government unemployment assistance for their whole lives. Our desire in living in this particularly needy area of Stockton is to bridge the gap between those who have and those who have not, not just through food drop-offs or clothing drives, but through significant and transformational relationships. We are surrounded by youth who need to know their value in order to believe that they can become productive members of society, and Restore programs exist to facilitate this development. 

     Restore residents desire to see Stockton transformed through the day-to-day life activities already happening in our city, and often times instead of creating new programs we look for ways to invest in what others have started. No matter what we are doing, our ultimate goal is to participate in the restoration of Stockton in any capacity available. It is not uncommon for Restore residents to coach high school and elementary school sports teams, work for local businesses and schools, and volunteer with other non-profits in our area. We often have people partner with us for a season in order to replicate what Restore does in their neighborhood or in another city or country altogether. We are always looking to unite with other organizations, churches, and non-profits in Stockton that are ultimately all working towards the same goal of restoration for our city. We love to participate in city-wide events and beautification projects such as Love Stockton, Stockton is Magnificent, and National Night Out. We have established relationships with University of the Pacific and San Joaquin Delta College and regularly get volunteer support from both institutions. Restore residents regularly volunteer at elementary schools in our neighborhood as well in a variety of capacities.