Doors Of Change

Door of Change is an amazing organization that is helping hundreds of young homeless youths to find the way to end homelessness and live a healthy productive life. It is great to have a local organization in San Diego that are willing to help and find solutions. I'm very proud of all that DOC has accomplished throughout the over 20 years that is has be operating. The program director, case managers and volunteers are always willingly and lovingly available there to provide support and assistance.

It has been my honor and privilege to be a part of this amazing organization. With a dedicated staff who works 24/7 with immediate response to our youths calls, they reach out and connect day or night.
Their level of dedication truly sets us apart. Connecting, giving hope, love and support is what makes the difference in giving these young people a voice and the confidence to break the cycle of homelessness.

I am proud to have been part of this amazing organization for several years, and the passion of the people who work tirelessly to support homeless youth is hard to describe. Thousands of young people have been able to receive help to start a new life, find housing and work, believe in themselves, feel healthier, and become productive members of society. Doors of Change needs to be recognized as a Changemaker organization that helps transform kids' lives!

Doors of Change is an amazing organization in San Diego County that has been helping homeless youth for over 20 years. Our Youth Advocacy program is dedicated to providing essential needs like food, housing referrals, transportation, clothing, phones and so much more to young people within the ages 17 to 24. Doors of Change is truly changing lives and offering hope to those in need.

Doors of Change does everything they can to go above and beyond for each youth on their caseload.

What a great organization here in San Diego, fighting to keep the kids off the streets and having much success finding housing for kids who are in need of housing. Very focused on helping the community with outreach and services that provide assistance with children in our community who are struggling with housing. It is my pleasure to serve on the board of this amazing organization. This group of people generously helps the under served kids age of 17-25 in the San Diego community. If you have the opportunity to help, please donate and become an angel. We also hold a huge concert fundraiser every year to help support this under served community here in San Diego county.

Doors of change is an organization that answers the call of the youth with a rapid response. They also connect with community partners to keep up with relevant information/ resources.

Doors of Change really makes an effort to listen to the needs of the youth they work with and aim to help create long term susatainability through their program. They truly focus on quality of service vs quantity.

I have watched this non-profit grow throughout the years. The vision and passion of Founder Jeffrey Sitkov has never changed. But his desire to improve and help more TAY youth is lifting us to greater levels of service. Our great case workers have incredible heart and are adept at not only building trust, but care immensely about each individual they work with. Our values start at the top with Jeffrey. He has instilled his passion toward success in us as well.

Doors of Change is a remarkable organization that has helped almost 3,000 homeless kids get off the streets and into safe housing. In addition, they have helped many thousands more in countless ways to help these kids navigate life and to turn their lives around. Their staff work tirelessly to accomplish these goals. I have supported Doors of Change since its inception, 23 years ago, and I encourage everyone reading this review to do the same. The world will be a better place because you chose to make a difference.

I was recently introduced to Doors of Change and attended their fundraiser in September. The work they do with homeless kids is so important. So many success stories! Most of the young people who spoke at the fundraiser left because of some serious trauma or abuse at home. Doors of Change not only helped them get off the streets and into a safe place, but got them into programs that could help further their education or provide job opportunities. Intensely dedicated people doing great things for young people who desperately need some help!

Doors of Change has been a great collaborative partner with our organization. They are a vital resource for our youth and valuable partenr. It is a pleasure to work so closely with them to support our youth in San Diego.

Does amazing work to help homeless youth. Is so effective that it’s able to get hundreds off the streets each year and find housing, jobs, and mentoring for this population at risk.

Absolutely amazing nonprofit! They are always there and so so helpful!!!!

Doors of Change has really helped my son. They have equipped him with the essential tools to help him find a job. Thank you Turquoise for your help. You are an awesome asset to the Community.

I had the opportunity to attend a benefit concert for Doors of Change with Ben Harper as the headliner and it really changed my view of homelessness that included young people.

I was touched by the incredible passion that the people of Doors of Change put into helping these teens get off the streets and help them build their lives so they have a safe place to live, food to eat, mental health support, resources to help them become independent adults and succeed in their lives.

I admit I usually think of homeless people as adults and truly never realized how many young people are without a home and support and it is truly heartbreaking how many of these children/teens are out there.

I am so glad to know organizations like this one exists and how many teens they have helped is incredible! Thank you for opening my eyes to this great need and giving me the opportunity to be a part of your vision and I look forward to volunteering at your next event!

Doors of Change has a lot of great resources for youth experiencing homelessness. As a service provider, I work with their case managers to provide wrap around care for youth. They are always responsive and able to help out in times when resources are low.

Doors of Change has been a beacon of light and hope in our community assisting our homeless youth to seek shelter, find food, assist with transportation, medical assistance, find jobs and guiding many of them to continue their education. We have had great success rescuing youth who have lost their way or who have been in the most critical life situations where they had no hope gain confidence and find the will to make changes to enhance their life. They not only survive, but they thrive and they give back to the community too. By providing resources to the homeless youth of the community Doors of Change not only provides a path to a good life, but also helps to diminish the number of new homeless people on our streets. There is no better satisfaction than to see what can be done to help another human being when they are their most vulnerable and Doors of Change has been doing this for over 20 years.

Doors of Change is the perfect example of a Changemaker organization! The team not only works hard on identifying homeless youth but also makes sure that their diverse needs, including mental health support are met. For many years DOC has taken action to help youth taking charge of their lives and believe in themselves. I am fortunate to be able to volunteer at such an amazing non-profit that deserves to be recognized for its excellence and accomplishments transforming the lives of human beings.

Doors of Change has an unwavering commitment to serving TAY Age'd homeless youth. This organization recognizes the level of vulnerability and risk that these kids have while experiencing homeless. They have built a model to assist them that is compassionate and comprehensive.

The case managers at Doors of Change are often some of the first ones that many TAY Age'd youth start working with. We are often connecting with our Youth through our outreach efforts. The organization is adequately supplied with phones and laptops that are we able to equip our clients with to ensure consistent communication. We work extensively to refer kids into shelters, crisis houses, housing programs, mental health programs, etc. We aid kids in applying to jobs and making sense of the options they have available to them in their current situations. We come equipped with resources on where they can send mail to, where they can access showers, food banks etc. We tackle the issue of homelessness for our clients on the various levels that it exists in. Not only that but we do it with urgency and collaboration.

It is the level at which we collaborate with the youth and offer emotional support while they are struggling that sets this organization apart. We spend a lot of time talking our clients through their situation, talking about their goals and interests, and the options that lay ahead of the.

Doors of Change is incredibly hands on within this community. We become their advocate and a trusted resource for them to utilize.

Joining Doors of Change is a dream come true for me. Knowing that I am part of a group of people who give so deeply of their own lives to lifting young people up out of deplorable conditions each and every day, fills me with awe and hope. This is an organization built on a foundation of devoted givers. I am so honored to be among them.

Doors of Change is providing a huge community service to our homeless youth. Doors of Change has helped so many young adults with housing, transportation, clothes, connection to a case manager for job services & mental health referrals and so much more . This is a wonderful organization to be a part of.

My name is Garett Houseal and I am a commercial insurance broker at Teague Insurance here in San Diego. I wanted to help with the homeless problem and underserved communities here in San Diego because of the vast need in my own community. Once I heard about Doors of Change and their mission to help youth/young adults, I knew I needed to be a part of this organization. I have just completed my first year as a Board Member and I could not be more proud to be a part of an organization that is truly making an impact on the ground. From the amazing fundraising concert(Three Dog Night), to actually doing the outreach and seeing the impact with a record number of intake interviews during COVID, Doors of Change is doing the hard work everyday. They are helping a record number of individuals and need more support!

I am proud and honored to be a Doors of Change board member for over 17 years as I have seen our organization help thousands of homeless youth over the years!
Our organization and staff is truly amazing and does a fantastic job in outreaching and then helping all of the homeless youth in our community.
Please visit our website to learn more at
https://doorsofchange.org/

I've been so impressed with the organization's ability to help homeless young people from 16 to about 24. Hundreds are taken off the streets each year, and many are now in housing and working. The organiztion works on a very small budget, but most of what it collects goes directly to the cause of helping this segment of the homeless population in San Diego.

Doors of change has continued to be a safe space for many youth. Somewhere the youth can call whether it's for support and guidance, necessities, or shelter.

Doors of Change

I have come to know and respect the mission and vision of Doors of Change. What they do for the homeless youth in the San Diego area is praiseworthy and astonishing. The Outreach program where professionals and volunteers go out in the field to connect with homeless youth is like a beacon of light for the young individual. They are given hope in a seemingly hopeless place. And what a wonderful way to connect hearts and enable a soul through the Music and Arts program. I absolutely love this organization!

Doors of change goes above and beyond to make sure young citizens of the world do not go unnoticed and help them get back on their feet so they do not believe that the only way to continue their life is thru homelessness and/or drugs and loneliness.

I was struck by the youth Doors of Change has helped over their 20 years of work. My first encounter was at a Los Lobos concert. Jeffrey, the founder, spoke so passionately about his cause and Matt, reflected on how the organinzation changed his life. Matt went from being homeless to being put him on a path toward the success he enjoys today as a software engineer! As I researched Doors of Change and became more involved I realizes that they have helped so many youth in this same way and their success stories are as diverse as the situations that put these youth on the streets and at risk. A lot of these victories go unheralded but need to be noticed and appreciated. i hope Doors of Change's efforts in making a positive impact will help them become recognized as one of San Diego's great nonprofits . Thank you, Bill Corkery

This is an amazing charity that has done great job of helping homeless youth.

We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked, and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for is the greatest poverty – Mother Teresa

When I think of the exemplar of someone who cared about others, Mother Teresa comes to mind. Now I'm certainly not comparing Jeffrey Sitcov, the founder of Doors of Change, to Mother Teresa, but I do think that the work he and the others at DOC do would have brought a smile to her face. She would have seen homeless youth being made to feel wanted, loved and cared for...perhaps for the first time in their lives.

You may remember this story:

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, "Well, I made a difference for that one!"

Sometimes homelessness seems like an intractable problem, but the next time you see a young, homeless person on the street I encourage you to say to yourself, "I can make a difference for that one!" and support Doors of Change.

Doors of Change is there for transitional age youth to help bring them supportive services. This non-profit is truly a blessing.

Doors of Change works very hard to help young adults in needs of not only food and shelter but of Love. The non profit provides that with the help of music and art which is no better way to express ones feelings. And even though we might be going thru a Pandemic and hard times, Doors of Change keeps on working hard on finding new and creative ways to keep on working within the community.

#77-0606859

We attended a fundraiser and we were so impressed with this organization. They do wonderful things for an underserved community, homeless kids.

Doors of Change is a remarkable charity that provides much needed assistance to our homeless youth community. As a mother, it breaks my heart that there is one homeless child let alone the increasing number of homeless young teens to early twenties our local communities are experiencing. It is an honor to be a donor to a non profit that has such vision and provides such hope, they have my continued support.

Doors of Change does incredible work that impacts youth all over San Diego and changes their lives. They offer all types of services to assist youth with mental services, social services, and offer many other kinds of support that I have personally seen transform the futures of youth who desperately need help. Thank you Doors of Change!!

05JUNE2020

One year for our Seashell Christmas Crafts, I did a workshop on Seashell Guardian Angel Christmas ornaments. Everyone had fun & I was able to get even the most anti-social participant to design a guardian angel that day for art. Realizing that most of these participants don’t have a tree for their Christmas ornaments that they made, I was able to find a need for our art. The Naval Hospital was having their annual Christmas decorating. Well, they got 63 Guardian Angel ornaments we made at TMATS. The hospital staff loved them. They even got their own floor and were packed away with the other Christmas decorations to be used in the holidays to come. Normally, the holidays are difficult, especially when you don’t have the best memories to reminisce on, or your loved one to be with. This project, with the goal of knowing these decorations were going to the hospital to help bring holiday cheer to all who saw them, brought a sense of purpose to my students & much joy. Not only were we smiling and having fun creating them, but the smiles didn’t go away from the participants faces when I shared how happy the hospital staff & patients were about the unique seashell Christmas angels. This one definitely went down as one of the most memorable art projects we did together at TMATS & my favorite.

This organization and everyone involved genuinely cares about helping homeless kids to empower themselves and provide resources to help them get back on their feet again. In my 3 years volunteering I've witnessed volunteers and the program who go above and beyond, providing mentorship, mental health help, creative outlets, earned instruments or art supplies, travel means, resume building help, and job resources. Our organization is truly one of a kind and we do so much to help these kids who are more like a family to us. I've seen first hand how youth's lives can change drastically with the help of our program. I've seen young adults who live in their cars, shy and timid transform into self sufficient adults, attending college, getting jobs and living in stable home environments. Every volunteer is devoted and passionate about this cause. Our passion and care radiates through the program and creates such a change in the lives of homeless youth who attend the program.

I have been aware of Doors of Change (initially called Photocharity) since its existence and have had many conversations with its founder (Jeffrey Sitcov) at various events over the years. DOC is an outstanding organization and Jeffrey is an amazing human being. I have never met anyone so passionate about what he is doing and so selfless. I strongly encourage everyone reading this to donate to DOC if you care about helping homeless kids getting off the streets and becoming productive members of society.

I’ve been on the board for the last year and I am continually inspired by the great people involved with Doors of Change. DOC is actually getting homeless youth off of the street to live fulfilling and productive lives.

I volunteer to cook Sunday dinners at Doors of Change and I have never met such a hardworking, caring team that builds a sense of community and family! I love being a volunteer and being a part of Doors of Change

A wonderful nonprofit serving homeless youth through music and art outreach!

What is a better mission and calling than to help kids in need at the highest risk to learn and trust providing them with safe access to services and opportunities they need to grow and thrive? That is what Doors of Change humbly does day in day out

DOC gives homeless youths an opportunity to own and to learn to play an instrument and/or to learn art, such as painting or making jewelry. This not only help gives them a piece of self value but also a means to earn money. It is a unique program that truly benefits the youth in many ways.

What makes Doors of Change stand out is the way the music and art program garners trust with homeless youth. Without trust, a homeless youth will not take the next steps necessary to change their lives and seek the help they need.

I have been following the successes of past program participants and have been floored by the impact Doors of Change has had on the lives of so many.

Kudos to Doors of Change and the amazing staff of volunteers and staff who truly seek to make a lasting difference in the life of a youth who has lost their way and feels they "just don't fit in" in this world. Thank you Doors of Change staff for giving so many youth a voice.

I have been a volunteer with Doors Of Change for almost one year. I help with the art program. I am so impressed with the unconditional kindness and support given to those youth who need a place to feel safe and trusting. It's so great to see the artistic and musical talent that many of these youth have and where they can express themselves in a supportive and welcoming way. Doors of Change is a very organized, committed non-profit program providing a vital public service to an otherwise neglected segment of the population. Thank you for your dedication and love.

I've volunteered as a music instructor with Doors of Change for almost four years. Each Sunday is a new experience that I look forward to all week. I get to spend time teaching music to, and learning from, the homeless youth who live in Ocean Beach, where I've lived since 1992. Before volunteering and meeting Jeffrey, I was confused about the "homeless problem" in OB. Now, after meeting hundreds of new friends, I'm convinced that the time we spend together week after week is healing, and really helps these often misunderstood kids to feel like they belong.
I've personally helped two young men find housing that got them off the street. One opened his own business and is doing quite well.
Each week I feel like I receive more than I give. It's a wonderful place, full of love and acceptance. OB is fortunate to have Doors of Change!

I don't believe many people realize that San Diego is 4th in the USA for youth homelessness! The work accomplished by Doors of Change, under it's founder, Jeffrey Sitcov, is amazing. As a public educator in San Diego County, I had first hand experience with our homeless youth and know how very difficult it is to build trust with homeless young people. I personally joined Jeffrey and his team during one of the evening outreach trips. We combed the beach, caves, streets and I helped the team as they spoke to the youth and offered supplies, food, blankets, etc. and a message....they don't have to be alone; there is help. Since that time, I have attended fundraisers, observed the "Taking Music and Art to the Streets" program and recognize the enormous value of Doors of Change. Donations help these kids directly!

I had been witness of the wonderful work that DOC do with youth on the community.

I've been teaching violin every Sunday at Doors of Change for about four years now. I've been thrilled to give away dozens of violins to my students who return for at least six lessons. One of the most gratifying things to me is when students I haven't seen for a while come back, often excited to show me how they've progressed on their instrument since I last saw them. In fact, this happened just last week. A student who I hadn't seen in over a year returned, and I was very impressed that she had clearly continued to improve her playing since we last worked together. She also told me that she had been taking classes in permaculture (interesting profession--look it up!) and as soon as her life is completely in order, she would like to come back and teach music with Doors of Change. Talk about gratification!
The bottom line for me is that the program is so much more than music. It's the magic of making connections with these young people. If they don't have enough confidence-building opportunities in their everyday lives, they can develop those with us. We've seen this again and again, and it's what makes the whole Doors of Change experience worth it, both for the young people we cater to, as well as the volunteers.

I have been involved with Doors of Change/Photocharity for 5 years now, and this is an amazing charity. You will be hard-pressed to find an organization that is more dedicated to its recipients than DOC. The Founder, Jeffrey Sitcov, is passionate about helping homeless youth. He has a heart for helping these young men and women who often have never had a trustworthy adult in their lives. He is able to earn their trust through music, art, food, and time and helps those who want to help themselves. He is truly using his God-given talents and purpose in all he does!

The "Taking Music and Arts to the Streets" program at Doors of Change has served homeless youth for years. The compassion, love and respect that is shown builds a bond of trust that many of these kids have never known. Not only do they learn how to play music...but every year more services have been added like haircuts, yoga and most importantly a gateway to other services that can get them off the streets permanently. These youth have bright futures ahead of them and Doors of Change has a unique nurturing program that reaches out and gets results.....

In the couple of times that I have been so fortunate to help out at Doors of Change, I was instantly exposed to a loving, caring, and supportive environment. The staff were all there because they genuinely wanted to and the youth were all incredibly respectful and a true joy to be around. Working to provide individuals with practical skills that likewise hold personal value, DOC cares about making this program a success for all people that come in.

From the staff to the program youth, Doors of Change (DOC) leads with a mission and a purpose that distinguishes them from other non-profits. Working not only for the community but with them, DOC creates opportunities for youth on a daily basis that goes beyond simply providing the basics. Looking to foster compassion, understanding, and perspective with the individuals DOC works with, a multidisciplinary team of educators, health care professionals, and community resources come together to work to address and minimize the risks associated with homelessness. Free of judgment and based on establishing trust, DOC understands the interworkings of what makes a non-profit successful and works continuously to provide the highest quality of respect, care, and services.

I have been volunteering, cutting hair for DOC for almost 4 years now! Every day I volunteer with them, there is a smooth flow to the program, clear boundaries with participants and a great amount of creative freedom.

Volunteers are ALWAYS cheerful to be there. Youth are full of gratitude and trust within the program....I get to have positive, deep conversations with most of them!

Youth tend to come back for more! Incentives for them to come to class are well recieved and consistent. Jeffrey and his team have been going steady for over 14 years, and it is no wonder why!!! I love and admire all of these generous, caring people!

Doors of Change is a a wonderful program where homeless youth in San Diego come together and receive support from the community and one another. I volunteer at the art program and love to see the kids expressing themselves through painting, drawing and other crafts -- and at the same time, gaining confidence, having fun, receiving social services, and getting a hot meal. It's rewarding for the kids and volunteers alike!

Doors of Change is a remarkable group of people who all have so much compassion towards those less unfortunate. I've seen first-hand the effect Jeffrey, his staff and his volunteers have on the homeless youth of San Diego.

Watching them learn to play instruments and gain confidence is pretty amazing! The art program was also very neat and I had a lot of fun interacting with the teens and watching them paint, draw and sketch unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. Both the music and art programs allow the kids to have an outlet and gain confidence as they learn a new skill and a new way of expression. Thanks Doors of Change for all you've done and all you continue to do!

Doors of Change (DOC) is an amazing! Jeffrey Sitcov, their fierce leader, has the right vision to help these young adults. He guides them, surrounds them with love and teaches them to trust again. Sometimes life can get rough and with charities/programs like this, it makes it easier. I have volunteered for over 2 years and I couldn't be happier with the positive change i have made.
Be the change that you wish to see in the world.

Doors of Change is a blessing to many. We are proud to serve dinner each Sunday at their "Taking Music & Art to the Streets" Program. The passion and commitment from Jeffrey Sitcov and his Team to help the youth homelessness situation in San Diego is inspiring. We've had the privilege of collaborating with DoC for 3 years and it's a blessing to make a difference to those in need. We look forward to continuing supporting DoC so they can expand the number of youths they serve. From the Heart, Elaine Therrien and Jerry Meunier, Co-Founders of Heartfelt Helpings.

Doors of Change. Changes lives of young adults and gives them the personal life skills, education, and support to make them productive contributors to America's finest city. What is so important in changing lives is the organization gives these young adults hope when many times they are hopeless and hope is what these young adults need.

I have learned more from these kids through meeting and working with them then I have taught them. Great organization where you know where the money goes a direct investment in young adults in our great city. A hand up not a hand out.

I volunteer for Doors of Change at least once a month as an outreach volunteer, and I am always shocked by the humility, kindness, and drive these homeless and disadvantaged youth display when interacting with them.
The most inspiring moment for me happened last month - I met a young immigrant ready to get off the streets while doing outreach and convinced him to visit our class. Upon arrival, he immediately took advantage of the donated clothing and found himself a suit, dress shirt, tie and pair of shoes -he then approached me and asked me to teach him how to tie a neck-tie, because he knew he would need to look professional in interviews.
These teenagers and young adults want to change, they want better for themselves, they just need a helping hand to get started, Doors of Change is that helping hand.

In the past I've only ever helped feed the homeless. Working with Doors of Change they are able to do so much more. The opportunities and recourses available to the youth are priceless. The expressions on their face when they receive an instrument is priceless. The people that volunteer to teach the youth to play the instrument's are amazing. I love working with this group and look forward to continue to work with them.

I got to walk along and witness the founder of this nonprofit walk the alleys and streets of Ocean Beach and find and reach out to homeless youth. He was able to get them to open up, gave them water and a fresh pair of socks to start a dialogue, and many he spoke to took him up on his invitation for a free meal later that day accompanied by a free music lesson, an offer of clothing and toiletries. I wayched him give these homeless youth a sense of hope. This is a charity that works!!

Doors of Change is a wonderful organization! They truly help these kids in need to get off of the streets and in to safe housing. I have seen several of the kids truly turn their lives around and become happy, well-adjusted and employed members of the community. These kids can truly use our help and really want to improve their lives-they just need a chance and Doors of Change provides a chance for them!

Very helpful and unique charity, targets an increasingly problem effectively and with compassion. Huge positive impact

This is an amazing charity that is very helpful and influential to the community.

The Doors of Change program, which has been in existence for 16 years, finds young people who are lost and gives them hope. Being homeless is an incredibly hard life, but homeless kids? That’s an abomination. Children don’t choose their families,and some households are so toxic the kids have no alternative but to leave. They are teenagers on their own, no shelter, no resources, no skills, no adult guidance. The team members at Doors of Change open their hearts, offer their talents, and give their capital to these helpless, distrustful kids. In an effort to build trust the Doors of Change team walk the streets to find homeless youth, then introduce their desire to assist the kids with drop-in music and art classes. These classes provide the opportunity to develop self-esteem and hopefully make the youth less wary of adults. The Doors of Change program will work with a willing homeless youth until that young person can be self-sustaining. They will provide the guidance and the security a defenseless young person needs to become a proud, contributing member of the community. The bond is not broken when the youth becomes an independent adult, the Doors of Change people are truly champions of children.
“There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."
— Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa
"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."
— Frederick Douglass, abolitionist and statesman

I’ve seen DOC turn a face of hopelessness into a confident smile, all while holding a guitar. Connecting with the homeless youth using the thoughtful approach of teaching music and arts is not an experiment, it’s a verified trust builder that boasts its results through DOC’s outreach. I watched a young man perform a song in front of the Spring 2017 Gala attendees, he laughed and smiled all the way through and was elated when the audience stood up to applaud. These moments build the confidence that is the foundation of successful change for these young adults. As DOC continues to grow, more of San Diego’s homeless youth will be brought into their transitional housing program through this music and arts outreach, which gives them the opportunity to leave homelessness behind for good.

DOC is more than a concept. The have effectively built trust and developed skills in homeless youth with a unique approach. The organization provides the opportunity for self-expression but more significantly self-sufficiency through art and music.

What an amazing group! This charity builds trust with homeless youth by offering free music lessons and the opportunity to earn an instrument. The musicians who teach are excellent, and the youth have the chance to get into housing as well. The founder is committed to these youth 100%.

After being involved with Photocharity for a couple years I have fell in love with their purpose to help get homeless youth off of the street and back onto their feet. Every event they do, a couple success stories are shared and what this nonprofit does is absolutely amazing. Youth that have given up on life are given a new spirit to succeed and prosper through music programs and job programs. Without Photocharity, hundreds of people would not be where they are today and by donating to them, you are saving their lives.

I worked with Doors of Change doing outreach to homeless youth. What most struck me about this organization was the fantastic spirit of the founder Jeffery Sitcov. Working with him personally as we tried to reach out to as many homeless youth in the area and invite them to a music class where they would eventually receive a free instrument after attending a certain number of lessons. The attitude of the kids that attended was so positive and everyone we came across spoke so highly of Jeffery, the music teachers and the amazing opportunity that was being offered catch -free.

This non profit organization has helped support, educate, feed, cloth, provide shelter, promote self sufficiency, self worth & the list goes on and on...
It is an honor to be a volunteer for such an amazing organization.

I have been following PhotoCharity/Doors of Change since its inception and I can tell you it is a first class organization that has helped scores of homeless kids get off the street. The founder, Jeffrey Sitcov, is a tireless worker who has spent over 15 years raising money and providing programs to help homeless youth become productive members of society. I have attended their annual gala event numerous times and it is truly inspiring. I strongly encourage everyone to attend as well and donate generously to this very worthy cause.

I would like to share my knowledge of Doors Of Change, to help others understand a bit more of the "behind the scenes" workings of the organization.

I started my involvement with Doors Of Change over a decade ago, when known as PhotoCharity. At this time, the organization raised funds to help already established programs of others, supporting 12-17 year olds. I started as a volunteer, helping promote and plan fundraising activities, and did this for several years. During this time, the organization started to realize the need for services for the older age group of 18-24 year olds, and sought an organization servicing this age group to also support.

Eventually, I was invited to become a board member. Part of the requirement of joining he board was to go on outreach, a program that we helped fund that regularly goes to the streets to find homeless youths and start building relationships with them, while educating them on services available to them and providing temporary supplies, (unfortunately, many of these youths fell into the 18-24 year old range, and services for them were extremely limited). Doors Of Change required us to go on outreach to fully understand who we were helping and what the actual situation on the streets was.

During my time as a board member, the organization went through some significant changes, all positive. We acknowledged that our name and brand didn't clearly match our mission. We had wonderful volunteers who helped us streamline our focus and clarify our goals. As a result of this, we not only re-branded ourselves as Doors Of Change, but also came to the conclusion that we could not only be fundraisers anymore, but also start programs for 18-24 year olds, because the availability of these services was currently minimal. We transitioned to not only helping financially support the programs that we funded for the 12-17 year olds, but also created our first program of our own, Taking Music To The Streets, (art was later added).

Taking Music and Art to The Streets, (TMATS), is a unique outreach program in which youths receive free music and art lessons, with the ability to earn their one instrument/art supplies after attending multiple lessons. At the end of each lesson, youths receive a free meal, and needed supplies. This program has shown to establish relationships with the youths much more quickly than traditional outreach programs, which is an important step in getting them long term care.

As this program continued to succeed and grow, DOC was able to meet their next goal of opening a long-term housing and rehabilitation program for 18-24 year olds. This program is a version of the increasingly popular "housing first" technique which has been getting great results in many areas of the country where it is being implemented. We'd established our own rules of this type of program to adequately fit the needs of our age group, and were mentored by another local and successful group who had previously only been serving homeless families. After the initial mentoring program with our first youths, we were able to open a second house, serving additional youths, again adjusting the program to best fit the needs of our age group. As I write this, the first group of youths in the second house are currently going through the program, which is approximately 12-18 months at minimum. This program has the intention of permanently solving homelessness for these youths by educating and empowering them to be able to live successfully on their own.

While serving on the board, I can attest to the ethical and appropriate use of donations received. During this time, the organization transistioned from being a 100% volunteer based group to hiring its first paid employees, experienced in this field. Almost all of the organization is still volunteer based, to help keep the overhead costs low, and therefore allowing money raised to support the programs as much as possible.

I would still be a part of this organization, but have moved from San Diego. I do still help share their information and support them while away.

Doors of Change is a non-profit that helps homeless youth in San Diego. My first experience was going on outreach and meeting these individuals first hand while introducing them to the award winning "Taking Music and Art to the Streets" program. This is a place where these youth can learn how to play an instrument or work with various art materials....more importantly this builds trust and self-esteem. My experience was witnessing a transformation and a cohesive program that works.
This organization also houses homeless youth in a 2 year program that teaches life skills and builds self sufficiency to permanently solve their homelessness. Doors of Change truly saves lives and gives opportunity - the dedication and support of all involved is tremendous. I feel so lucky to be involved in an organization that promotes such positive change.

I found Doors of Change on volunteermatch.com when I was looking for a charity to volunteer for. The founder, Jeffrey Sitcov had me the 1st meeting. The passion Jeffrey has for this wonderful cause convinced me that this was a charity I wanted to be a part of.
Doors of Change is one of the few charities that does outreach for homeless youth and dthey do it in a unique award winning way through music and art. All the volunteers I met and work with there are just as amazing and passionate in helping these young men and women as the founder. So lucky to have found this organization and to be a part of an organization that is saving lives in San Diego

Passionate and committed founder with a strong board, staff and team of volunteers to make a difference in the lives of youth and ages 18-24, getting them off the streets and leading healthy and productive lives. So many examples of kids the program has helped get off the streets who are successful today.

Doors of Change (DOC) is one of the few organizations whose mission is to help homeless youth especially between the ages of 18-24. I have witnessed staff discuss their art and music program with the homeless living at the San Diego beaches. I celebrated the opening of their resident program providing a 18-month home designed to take youth off the streets and make them self sufficient.

Most of all, I have witnessed first hand the love, patience and determination which characterizes the staff of DOC.

I recently met Jeffrey Sitcov by chance, simply by sitting next to him on a Southwest flight. It is not the first time that I have had a chance encounter that has had a great impact on my life. I believe we were destined to meet. I was returning from a work convention from Las Vegas and he was heading back from NY. Through our conversation I learned he was the founder of PhotoCharity. I had heard of their concerts but never had the opportunity to attend. I was struck by his passion for his work and his dedication to help homeless teens. When I got home, I remembered that a woman I don't know very well had recently called me to ask if I knew where she could make a donation that could truly change lives in our local area. She knew I have worked in the non-profit arena and am connected to many organizations. I introduced them via email and two days later, Jeffrey and this beautiful lady communicated. She and her husband decided to make a significant donation in honor of her father who recently passed away. I was honored to have had the opportunity to go along with this couple to see the work of Doors of Change. We walked around Ocean Beach on a Sunday and I saw how he and his staff reach out to young people who are runaways or homeless. They often leave because they are not accepted at home or because their parents are drug addicts. By creating a wonderful music and art program, Doors of Change, formerly PhotoCharity, is changing lives. Kudos to Jeffrey Sitcov and all the dedicated volunteers and donors who are so committed to a great cause.

This place changed my life. They looked for work for me. Stayed up on how I was doing. They involved themselves in my life. They went above and beyond. This place offered a safe haven from the police and criminals. I am surprised that they even have homeless outreach in Ocean Beach. The community and police make it very hard to even try to get on your feet. It's sad. At least we have this program there. It was my peace from the lack of things going right in my life. I completed the music and art program and was proud of myself. This program should be in every major city. Staff members like Chera are priceless and are what made this program work. I have a home that I am fixing up that is really nice and big. It is hard to believe I was homeless. I will always come back to check on this program. Thanks for everything from the bottom of my heart.

My only complaint is that there is not a Doors of Change in every city. What they are doing is amazing and sadly will always be needed.

There are 4,000 young people ages 12-24 that are living on the streets of San Diego, alone, without a parent, desperate, and with little hope that anything will get better. DOORS of CHANGE is doing something to help those kids. Their outreach program finds and contacts more homeless kids than any other charity -- about 30 per week! They are invited to attend weekly programs where they are introduced to music and art, while providing medical care, counseling, clothing, personal necessities, and hot meals. The goal is to bring these forgotten youth into long term care where they receive housing, skills training, education, and job placement until they become self sufficient. In short, DOORS of CHANGE saves lives! Without help, most of these homeless youth will end up suicidal, in jail, or hopeless addicts. I became a member of the Board because I saw that DOORS of CHANGE was a "DOER" not a paper shuffler. Under the tireless direction of Jeffrey Sitcov, DOORS of CHANGE is, indeed, making a difference in so many lives. If you change one life, you change the world. DOORS of CHANGE is truly changing the world!

As a working Board Member of Doors of Change, I can attest to the integrity, genuine spirit of compassion and thoughtful leadership of this organization. Doors of Change gives hope to our homeless youth, providing housing and services that lead to solutions to end youth homelessness in San Diego.

This is a fantastic group of people helping homeless youth and making a positive impact in their lives.

As a corporate donor for several years, Photocharity, Doors of Change is the key to assisting young youth in getting back on their feet from any number of reasons. I have had the honor to participate in an outreach with the founder Jeffrey Sitcov recently and I was blown away. Many of the homeless youth we spoke with knew Jeffrey and said Hi and were looking forward to the music program later that evening. I know I would not of been brave enough to approach these youth but Jeffrey did not hesitate. Jeffrey and Doors of Change is truly saving lives and providing a safe place for homeless youth to gain the trust of people again.

I was also blessed and honored to attend the music program. Not only do they teach guitar, piano, cello and violin they also are able to just attend and do art projects. After the music lessons conclude a delicious warm meal is served and they are given a to-go lunch pack. Also, available to them are clothes, shoes and much more. All of the youth are very appreciative.

I believe Jeffrey and Doors of Change is making a huge impact in not only helping the youth between 18-24 years of age but this organization does a great job educating the public on the issue of homeless youth. Where do they go and how does one get off the street after being homeless? It is a difficult task for anyone, let alone someone young and extremely impressionable and persuaded when you are hungry and scared.

Doors of Change is top notch and goes above and beyond one youth at a time.

Thank you Jeffrey for all you do.

Everyone at this non-profit, from us volunteers to founder Jeffrey Sitcov, takes great pride in helping reclaim people from the depths of homelessness.

I have been involved with Doors Of Change (formerly Photocharity) as a volunteer (including former Board Member and currently involved in eatablishing the Planned Giving area) since its inception.

Doors of Change continues to play a vital role in helping homeless youth in SanDiego and worthy of ongoing support.

The most difficult group of homeless needing assistance are our youth. Unfortunately, there are very few government or private organizations and programs concentrating on this homeless population.

Photocharity, Dba Door of Change (DOC), has been working at the grass roots level for over 14 years to help. The organization has low expenses and utilizes may volunteers to accomplish its programs.

The most exciting effort of this organization is their newly created Door of Change live-in program to provide life training, food and housing, and a safe environment for a small number of youth who want to succeed.

Through a foundation, I am a significant donor to Photocharity, and have been for several years. Accordingly, I watch their activities, and their director (Sitcov), like a hawk, have attended many of their activities (including Art & Music to the Streets), and have accompanied Sitcov on his outreach to homeless youth. I have no idea where the single negative review comes from...everything I have seen is directly contrary. This is an organization that is TRULY MAKING A DIFFERENCE in the lives of homeless youth who, literally, have nowhere else to go. Sitcov is truly dedicated to these youth and the administrative expense of the organization are negligible as a result of his efforts. Photocharity is a perfect example of how a non-profit should operate.

As someone who has volunteered with Photocharity (now Doors of Change) for nearly a year, I can't begin to tell you how special of a group this is. The founder, Jeffrey Sitcov, is the real deal. He is genuine, devoted, and never quits.

I am an aerospace engineer living in the Pacific Beach area and I heard about Photocharity through a neighbor of mine. I was told it was an opportunity for artists and musicians to provide free art and music lessons to homeless youths in the San Diego area. As a guitarist myself, I instantly fell in love with the idea.

When I began working with Photocharity, I was really amazed at how much the kids appreciated the time we were spending with them and how much they really cared about their lessons. Homeless youths cherish the idea of having something to occupy their minds while they're on the streets. Alleviating the boredom helps them stay out of trouble and away from drugs. After five lessons, we give a child their very own instrument to keep. The look in their eyes is priceless in this moment, let me tell you.

About a month after I started, Photocharity teamed up with Structures for Change to start placing the youths into community housing when they could afford it. The stories of the kids who've been fortunate enough to get into the housing are truly heartwarming. (Visit DoorsOfChange.org to watch videos of some of these stories.) It really makes you feel like what we do is adding up to something. It's really moving.

But, we can't yet afford to get them all into the housing. So, until we do, we keep doing our best to give the kids remaining the encouragement they need and the hope they deserve that things will get better. So, each Sunday that I can afford to give up, I head to Ocean Beach to be a part of the most special and rewarding experience I have going for myself right now.

I do my best to help the kids I see each week to learn the basics of guitar and encourage them to keep coming back and earn their instrument. In the meantime, they get themselves a free wholesome meal from Sister Carla and the Angel Team and their pick of anything they'd like from the donations of clothing and personal supplies we collect for them.

I remember my first day at Photocharity. I worked with a 14 year old homeless girl named Stephanie. I taught her a few simple chords and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." She absolutely soaked it up. She was so polite and attentive that it really impressed me. After her lesson, I cleaned up the instruments with the other teachers (who are all very wonderful people, I must add) and then came back to make sure that she'd gotten herself something to eat. When she saw that I wasn't eating, she tried to give me her baked potato. I nearly choked up as I told her, "No thanks, you eat it. I have plenty…at home."

Yeah, it hits you sometimes. Hard. Being a part of Photocharity has really put a lot of things into perspective for me: the importance of family, how blessed many of us truly are. Seeing what these kids go through and what struggles they must face really makes the problems in my life seem so small. And in a good way, too. We do our best to inspire these kids, but I really had no idea just how much they would inspire me.

I love Photocharity. I truly do. I see how much these kids appreciate our team. And what it does for them is so special that I really feel that it's me who needs them. I need this in my life. It's great for the soul. You come to find that there's no amount of time that is long enough, no donation great enough, it seems, so long as the problem of homeless youth exists in our society.

But every little bit helps. Believe me, every little bit helps.

Jimmy Doyle
Pacific Beach, CA

BEWARE!!! The director of this organization, Jeffrey, puts on a show for the media in order to secure grandure for himself. I have personally seen him turn away homeless, hungry youth from events where there was a bounty of extra food and clothing because he thought they were too old. He regularly chastises volunteers who want to give extra food and clothes after events to homeless people he has turned down. Please chose ANY other reputable charity to work with.