Edgewood: San Francisco's Oldest Children's Charity Serves 5,000 Kids a Year

Founded in 1851, Edgewood provides behavioral health, crisis stabilization, and family support to Bay Area youth. Here's what their programs need — and how to give with proof.

In 1851, while San Francisco was still a city of tents and gold rush fortunes, someone built a children's charity. That organization — Edgewood Center for Children and Families — has never stopped operating. In 175 years, it has survived earthquakes, epidemics, economic collapses, and policy changes that redefined what children's welfare means, adapting each time to serve the children most in need in each era. Today, Edgewood is the Bay Area's largest provider of behavioral health services for children and youth, serving over 5,000 children and families annually across 25+ programs in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties — from 24-hour crisis stabilization to outpatient mental health, from residential care to school-based services. Givelink, a Transparent Giving Platform that connects donors to verified U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits with photo proof of delivery, partners with Edgewood to connect donors who want to give something specific to Bay Area children in crisis. Here is the full picture.

Key Takeaways

• Edgewood was founded in 1851 — the oldest children's nonprofit in the Western United States.
• 5,000+ children and families served annually across 25+ programs in two counties.
• Programs span the full continuum: from prevention and early intervention to 24-hour crisis stabilization and residential care.
• Art therapy, comfort items, and school supplies are in consistent demand across program types.
• Givelink donors give 60% more times per year than traditional platform donors (Givelink data, 2026).

What Edgewood does — and who it serves

Edgewood's programs reach children that the standard mental health system cannot. Youth ages 4–18 with severe behavioral health challenges, complex trauma histories, and family crises that require more than outpatient therapy.

The 24-hour crisis stabilization unit serves youth in acute psychiatric crisis. The residential programs serve youth ages 12–17 who need intensive, structured support while remaining connected to education. The outpatient and community-based programs serve the much larger population of children who need consistent mental health support but aren't in crisis.

Across all of these, Edgewood uses expressive art therapies — a research-supported approach that gives children who can't yet talk about their trauma a way to process it through creativity.

"Kindness has become a transaction. The only transaction where the one who pays never sees what they bought."

A donor who gives art therapy supplies to Edgewood sends something to a child who will use it to express what they can't yet say. The photo confirms the supplies arrived. The donor sees the shelf stocked for that session.

What Edgewood needs from donors right now

Program	Items Needed	Who They Reach
Art Therapy Programs	Sketchbooks, paints, colored pencils, clay	Youth in therapeutic art programs
Crisis Stabilization	Comfort items, hygiene kits, soft items	Youth in 24-hour crisis unit
Residential Programs	School supplies, clothing basics, hygiene	Youth ages 12-17 in residential care
Outpatient Services	Art supplies, journals, fidget tools	Outpatient mental health clients
Family Resource Center	Food items, hygiene, household basics	Families receiving wraparound services

Why this matters in 2026

Child and adolescent mental health referrals in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties increased 34% in 2025, driven by a post-pandemic mental health crisis in schools and an acute shortage of clinicians. Edgewood's waitlists have grown even as their program capacity has expanded. Individual donor support for specific goods — particularly art therapy supplies and comfort items — directly supplements the program budget and reduces the supply gaps that limit program quality.

Givelink in action with Edgewood

A donor in the Inner Sunset gave art therapy supplies through Givelink to Edgewood. Two weeks later, a photo arrived: the sketchbooks, paints, and colored pencils organized in bins in Edgewood's art therapy room, labeled by program. She shared the photo with her therapist. "This is the kind of thing I wish I'd had when I was a kid," she said. She gives monthly. Browse Edgewood's wishlist on Givelink.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Edgewood Center need most from donors?

Art therapy supplies (sketchbooks, paints, colored pencils, clay), comfort items for crisis stabilization, school supplies and hygiene for residential youth, and food and household basics for their Family Resource Center.

Is Edgewood Center a legitimate nonprofit?

Yes. Edgewood Center for Children and Families is a verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1851 — the oldest children's charity in the Western U.S. — serving 5,000+ youth annually across 25+ Bay Area programs. Their Givelink profile displays Charity Navigator evaluation data.

Give a child in crisis the tools to express what they can't say

Browse Edgewood's wishlist on Givelink and give something that shows up in a therapy session.

Stay Human.

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Panos Kokmotos is Co-Founder and COO of Givelink.