Dana Point Harbor Partners’ Underserved Youth Program

The long-awaited $400 million, multiyear revitalization of Dana Point Harbor commenced at The Marina at Dana Point in August 2022. In collaboration with the California Coastal Commission, DPHP will improve public access to the water through both the intricate design of The Marina and the newly developed community outreach programs.

Bellwether Financial Group, a partner in DPHP and the firm responsible for The Marina operations and redevelopment, is spearheading a robust outreach program to expose underserved youth from both local, and inland communities to aquatic activities including swim lessons, ocean education, whale watching, surfing, kayaking, and sailing each year.

Since the program commenced in August 2022, the Underserved Youth Program has provided hundreds of underserved youths in the community the opportunity to experience ocean education and activities, often for the very first time. In 2023, the program aims to provide unforgettable ocean experiences and education to more than 1,000 underserved youths. To implement the program, DPHP has partnered with Orange County non-profits including the YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, The Boys & Girls Club of San Juan Capistrano, and San Juan Elementary School.

 The program includes robust tracking of the participants to measure the program’s impact. The Marina recently welcomed a dedicated community outreach coordinator to measure and track the impact of the program in order to report the success to the California Coastal Commission.

The next whale watching trip with Big Brothers Big Sisters will take place on January 28 on the Manute'a, one of Captain Dave's Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari’s catamarans.

For more information visit DanaPointHarbor.com