Kid Stock: Where San Francisco Kids Find Their Voice Since 1983

Kid Stock has given 10,000+ Bay Area kids the stage, the song, and the confidence through performing arts since 1983. Here's what they need — and why arts supplies matter.

Since 1983, Kid Stock Inc. has built a simple and powerful proposition: every child, regardless of ethnicity, cultural background, or economic circumstances, deserves the experience of performing. Not watching. Performing — getting on stage, singing, dancing, acting, and discovering in front of an audience that they are capable of more than they thought. In over 40 years, more than 10,000 Bay Area children have been through Kid Stock's programs: Summer Day Camps, After School Programs, and In-School Programs that use song, dance, drama, and art as the building materials for confidence and self-esteem. Givelink, a Transparent Giving Platform that connects donors to verified U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits with photo proof of delivery, partners with Kid Stock to connect donors who want to give something specific to San Francisco's young performers. Here is what that looks like.

Key Takeaways

• Kid Stock has served 10,000+ Bay Area children since 1983 through performing arts programs (Kid Stock data, 2026).
• Programs run year-round — In-School, After School, Winter Camp, and Summer Camp.
• Arts supplies, costumes, and performance materials are in constant demand across all programs.
• Financial aid is available for all programs — Kid Stock serves children of every economic background.
• Givelink donors give 60% more times per year than traditional platform donors (Givelink data, 2026).

What Kid Stock does — and why performing arts builds more than confidence

Kid Stock's programs are built around an original play process: every program culminates in a fully staged performance, complete with costumes, set pieces, lighting, and sound. The child who begins not knowing their lines ends by performing them to an audience of family and community.

What happens in between — the weeks of rehearsal, learning harmonies, building scenes with peers, trusting a director, failing at a step and trying again — is the real program. The performance is the proof.

Research consistently shows that arts education produces measurable gains in academic engagement, social-emotional development, and self-efficacy among children from under-resourced communities. A child who learns to project their voice on stage learns to advocate for themselves in a classroom.

"Giving was always supposed to be a thread between two lives."

A donor who gives art supplies and costume materials to Kid Stock sends something to a child who will use it to become, for a few hours on a stage, exactly who they always could be.

What Kid Stock needs from donors right now

Program	Items Needed	Who They Reach
In-School Programs	Art supplies, notebooks, construction paper	K-8 students in weekly programs
After School / Camp	Costume fabrics, props, craft materials	Program participants in productions
Performance Materials	Face paint, simple costume pieces, accessories	All performing children
Art Workshops	Colored pencils, paint sets, brushes, sketchbooks	All ages in art components
Administration	Printed scripts, scene materials, staging supplies	Teaching artists and staff

Why this matters in 2026

SFUSD budget cuts have reduced arts programming in San Francisco schools for the third consecutive year. Kid Stock's In-School Programs fill a growing gap: for many children in schools without dedicated arts staff, Kid Stock's teaching artists are the only sustained arts education they receive. Donor-funded supplies are what make this program continuous rather than intermittent.

Givelink in action with Kid Stock

A donor in Noe Valley gave art supplies and costume materials through Givelink to Kid Stock. Two weeks later, a photo arrived: the supplies sorted by program in Kid Stock's storage space, labeled for the upcoming In-School and After School sessions. She shared the photo with her own kids at dinner. "That's where your old costume fabrics went — to be in a play." Browse Kid Stock's wishlist on Givelink.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Kid Stock need most from donors?

Kid Stock's highest-demand items are costume fabrics and materials, art supplies (paints, colored pencils, sketchbooks), construction paper, and performance props for their year-round programs.

Is Kid Stock a legitimate nonprofit?

Yes. Kid Stock Inc. is a verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 and operating performing arts programs for San Francisco area children. Their Givelink profile displays Charity Navigator evaluation data.

Put a child on a stage this season

Browse Kid Stock's wishlist on Givelink and give something that ends up in a performance.

Stay Human.

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Antonis Politis is CEO and Co-Founder of Givelink.