Founded in 2000, Tools for Peace (TFP) is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to strengthening and supporting emotional and social intelligence as well as academic and professional success. We envision a world where everyone is connected by kindness and compassion, and have created our programs to help make that vision a reality.
Solutions to problems begin from within ourselves.
In the inherent ability of all people to develop positive connection to one another.
Our shared capacity for kindness and compassion connects us more deeply than appearance, status, geography or circumstances.
The ability to thrive is attainable by anyone, regardless of social or economic background.
Compassionate and responsive engagement that meets people where they are.
Safe and open forums where people can speak with courage, honesty, and confidence.
The unique contribution of every individual.
Authenticity and respect in all our relationships.
Our 9th Annual Tools for Peace Summer Teen Camp is an extension of our ongoing in-school program, and offers youth ages 12-16 a transformative weeklong experience rooted in practicing mindfulness, learning meditation, and cultivating compassion in the beautiful mountains of Tehachapi, California.
Over the past fourteen years, more than 10,000 youth throughout Northern and Southern California have benefited from all that Tools for Peace has to offer. With your contribution, teens will immerse themselves in a camp community that fosters life-changing experiences through cultivating compassion.
What makes our camp truly special is the Stop, Breathe & Think Workshop, where teens learn and practice mindfulness meditation, work together in dynamic small group discussions, and participate in engaging activities that enable them to connect with each other in a safe and supportive environment.
Try it out for yourself by downloading our highly rated Stop, Breathe & Think app, free in the app store.
Afternoons at camp are full of fun activities: art, sports, yoga, music, crafts, horseback riding, swimming, and the creation of a Community Sand Mandala. Evenings at camp are always a highlight for campers—with campfires, movie nights, and karaoke. Teens return home with a positive and memorable experience.
Summer Teen Camp provides teens with invaluable support from an incredible 1:3 counselor to camper ratio. Requests for scholarships continue to grow, and this year, we would like to accommodate up to 50 campers! Deserving students from our in-school programs in the Greater Bay and Los Angeles areas need your help, and you have the power to make a real difference by helping us send all of our students to Summer Teen Camp!
By donating, you provide scholarships to youth from low-income, disadvantaged backgrounds, many whose families may not otherwise be able to afford camp for their teen, but wish to attend.
Please join our “Make Peace” Campaign and donate today. You can give our teens a summer experience to remember by making a gift or by spreading the word via Facebook and Twitter. Gifts of all levels ensure our youth can benefit from Summer Teen Camp regardless of ability to pay.
The SB&T teen curriculum helps middle and high-school students learn to handle stress, manage emotions, and relate to adults and peers more positively by learning to approach people and everyday situations from the perspective of kindness and compassion—skills that support student achievement across all academic subjects, and will support their trajectory into adulthood.
Studies demonstrate that anxiety and stress negatively impact a student’s school performance, due to their diminished capacity to concentrate, be still, follow directions, and calm down after a provocation. Mindfulness has been proven to help reduce behavioral problems, improve academic achievement, and reduce the gap between high and low-achieving youth by providing students the necessary skills to be successful in school and in life.