School on Wheels volunteers provide free tutoring and mentoring to children from kindergarten through twelfth grade living in shelters, motels, vehicles, group foster homes, and the streets of Southern California.
1 in every 20 children
in California does not have a home
Homelessness has a devastating impact on children’s educational opportunities:
- Nine times more likely to repeat a grade
- Four times more likely to drop out of school entirely
Over the past 30 years, we have served more than 50,000 students from kindergarten through twelfth grade
Every one of these kids has a story, a past, and a future.
All have one thing in common—a volunteer tutor whose precious time and caring helped them learn and encouraged them to dream.
We train and match volunteers with our students and provide:
- One-on-one weekly tutoring
- School supplies
- Assistance in entering school
- Scholarships
- Parental support
- A learning center on Skid Row
You Can Make a Difference
Your donation, no matter how small, will directly benefit an unhoused student by providing the tools needed for up-to-date, high quality educational support.
Volunteer tutors and mentors are needed. Training is provided for all volunteers on trauma-informed approaches to education and ongoing academic planning support is provided by our expert team. Matches and sessions are then made with students based on your weekly schedule and location (you can volunteer in person and online).
Every student we support receives a brand-new backpack filled with school supplies. You can help us collect much-needed items by hosting a drive online or in person.
Volunteer tutors are our wheels—reaching students in six counties in Southern California and covering a span of 2,500 square miles.
Support Us
We survive through donations of people like you, who believe that every child has potential.
Volunteer opportunities
- One-on-one tutoring
- Peer tutoring
- Online tutoring
- Group tutoring