Juma Ventures is a national youth development nonprofit and social enterprise. Juma’s award-winning model combines employment in social enterprises, financial capability training, matched savings, and academic support to ensure that young people get into and succeed in college. All Juma services are delivered through a comprehensive case management framework, supporting youth to develop skills for success in school and adulthood.

In 1993, Juma Ventures became the first nonprofit organization to own and operate a commercial franchise—a single Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream storefront in San Francisco. Since then, Juma has grown into one of the country’s largest youth-run social enterprises, operating in six cities—New Orleans, New York, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. Since inception, Juma has employed 3,000 low-income students who have earned more than $3 million in wages and saved over $2 million for higher education. Juma’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty by ensuring that young people complete a four-year college degree.

Juma defines its target population as youth who are low-income (family household income is within 200% of the federal poverty guideline) and first-in-family to go to college. Of our current participants, 97% are from communities of color and 20% are in the foster care system.

Juma provides a comprehensive and complementary set of services to ensure that low-income young people get into and succeed in college. Core program components include:

1. Job skills training and part-time employment at our social enterprise concessions businesses at major sports and entertainment venues.
2. Education and career services help youth finish high school, prepare for and complete college, and develop career goals that will set them on a path for long-term employment success.
3. Financial capability and asset building services give youth opportunities to develop lifelong savings habits and money management skills.